Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Hosts UAE defeated Nepal by 68 runs in the ICC World Cricket League (WCL)-2 tri-series in Dubai, breaking the visitor’s five-match winning streak.
Invited to bat first after losing the toss, UAE scored 207 runs, losing eight wickets in the allotted 50 overs. Asif Khan and Rohan Mustafa scored half-centuries for UAE, with Khan scoring 72 runs off 99 balls and Mustafa remaining unbeaten on 52 runs off 76 balls. Three UAE batsmen were out for duck. Sandeep Lamichhane took three wickets for Nepal, while Karan KC, Sompal Kami, and Kushal Malla each took one wicket.
Despite getting a low target, Nepal lost wickets at regular intervals and was bowled out for just 139 runs in 31.5 overs. Openers Khushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sehikh fell cheaply, scoring 5 and 17 runs, respectively. Gyanendra Malla and Captain Rohit Poudel were both out for duck. Kushal Malla scored 60 runs off 53 balls, while Sandeep Lamichhane scored 26 runs off 24 balls, which included four fours. Other Nepali batsmen failed to reach double digits.
Rohan Mustafa and Karthik Meiyappan took three wickets each for UAE, while Junaid Siddique claimed two Nepali wickets. Sabir Ali and Zahoon Khan each took one wicket.
Nepal will play Papua New Guinea in its third match of the tri-series on Friday.
