KATHMANDU, MARCH 09
Aarif Sheikh scored maiden One Day International century as Nepal defeated Papua New Guinea by 52 runs in the opening match of the Tri-series under the ICC Cricket World Cup League-II here at the TU Stadium today.
Batting first, Nepal were bowled out for 297 in 49.1 overs before packing PNG for 245 runs with 17 balls to spare, thanks to four wickets from Sandeep Lamichhane. The eighth win in nine matches helped Nepal accumulate 35 points and they stayed on course for top-three finish to earn a berth in the Global Qualifier tournament for next year's World Cup and they are just one win away from retaining the ODI status.
Invited to take the first strike, Nepal openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh made a flying start putting up a century stand. They added 110 runs inside 19 overs before Bhurtel was dismissed for 45 off 56 balls that included six fours. Kushal Malla (two) and Gyanendra Malla (11) fell cheaply as PNG reduced the home team to 140-3.
Sheikh and skipper Rohit Kumar Paudel then shared a 67-run partnership for the fourth wicket before they were dismissed in the space of one run and Dipendra Singh Airee (seven) followed soon as Nepal seemed in trouble at 222-6. Sheikh, who received two lifelines on his way to bringing up maiden ODI hundred off 101 balls, became the first Nepali batsman to score a century. He struck 12 fours and two sixes in his run-a-ball 110. Skipper Paudel scored 30 off 39 balls with the help of two fours and a six.
Bhim Sharki and Aarif Sheikh added 42 runs for the seventh wicket to help the home team post a record total that emulated the previous best of 287, scored by Nepal on their way to chasing down a target set by Namibia last month at the TU Stadium. Nepal's highest score while batting first was 278 runs against PNG at the same grounds.
Sharki struck four boundaries in his 38-ball 44, while Sheikh scored 15. Karan KC (eight) and Sandeep Lamichhane (seven) hit one six each in their brief stay at the crease. Semo Kamea completed five-wicket haul as the PNG bowler returned with 5-38 from 9.1 overs and he was ably supported by Riley Hekure (3-50).
In reply, PNG openers Tony Ura and Kiplin Doriga thwarted Nepal's attack scoring 77 runs in 11 overs before the home team made a breakthrough when Dipendra Singh Airee and wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh combined to run out Doriga (26). Airee then had Sese Bau (three) caught by Sompal Kami and Lamichhane dismissed Ura to reduce the visitors to 92-3. Ura scored 50 off 44 balls with the help of nine boundaries.
Nepali bowlers then struck at regular intervals as PNG batters struggled to build meaningful partnerships after skipper Assad Vala and Norman Vanua did not find proper support from the other end. Vanua top scored with 60 off 55 balls with the help of three boundaries and four sixes, while Vala hit two each fours and sixes in his 53-ball 42.
Lamichhane was the pick of the Nepali bowlers taking 4-37 from 10 overs, while Airee claimed 2-31 and Kushal Malla grabbed one wicket.
Nepal need to win all three remaining matches - two against the United Arab Emirates and one against PNG - of the last ODI Tri-series to earn a spot in the Global Qualifiers. Champions Scotland (50) and Oman (44) have already sealed top two spots in the seven-team table, while Namibia are currently third on 39 points. The United States of America are at the fourth place with 35 points, one more than fifth-placed Nepal.
The UAE - who are mathematically alive in the race to top three - have 31 points with four matches to play. Bottom-side PNG have just nine points from 33 matches. The top three teams will progress to the Global Qualifiers, while top five sides will retain their ODI status. The bottom four teams will get a second chance as they compete with top two teams of the Challenge League in the World Cup Qualifier Play-off. Top two sides in the play-off will make it to the Global Qualifiers, which will send two teams to the World Cup to be held in India later this year.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 10, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
