Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Nepal secured their second consecutive victory in the Oman tri-series under the ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) League 2, defeating hosts Oman by 113 runs in Muscat on Tuesday.
Batting first after winning the toss, Nepal posted 263/8 in their allotted 50 overs. In reply, Oman were all out for 150 runs in 40 overs.
Nepal lost opener Aasif Sheikh for four with 17 runs on the board. Pandey and Kumal then helped steady the innings before Nepal continued to lose wickets at regular intervals.
Paudel anchored the innings with a half-century before falling in the 43rd over. KC’s explosive knock in the closing stages helped Nepal reach a competitive total.
Captain Rohit Paudel top-scored for Nepal with 61 off 67 balls, while Karan KC provided a late-innings flourish, smashing 40 off just 16 deliveries. KC hit four fours and four sixes at a strike rate of 250.
Arjun Kumal scored 40 off 59 balls, while Ishan Pandey and Basir Ahamad made 37 each. Dipendra Singh Airee added 22 off 17 balls, and Sundeep Jora made 10 off 12 balls. Nandan Yadav remained unbeaten on seven.
Shah Faisal, Shakeel Ahmed and Karan Sonavale each took two wickets for Oman, while Hassnain Shah claimed one.
In reply, Oman struggled from the outset in the pursuit of the 264-run target. The hosts lost wickets at regular intervals and were reduced to 41/6 in the 12th over, with dependable opener Jatinder Singh dismissed for 18. Hasnain Ul Wahab, Mujibul Ali and Hammad Mirza also fell cheaply.
Captain Vinay Shukla showed some resistance with 77 off 83 balls, while Jay Odedra contributed 25 off 57 deliveries. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to provide substantial support as Oman were dismissed for 150.
Nandan Yadav and captain Sandeep Lamichhane claimed three wickets each to bundle out Oman cheaply. Airee took two wickets, while Karan KC and Lalit Rajbanshi each picked up one wicket.
Nepal had opened their tri-series campaign with a 24-run victory over Canada. They will face Canada again on Saturday as they look to continue their winning run in the League 2 competition.
The win has strengthened Nepal’s chances of finishing sixth or higher in the CWC League 2 standings, which is crucial for retaining ODI status. With two matches remaining, Nepal have 28 points from 34 matches and sit sixth, ahead of Canada on 25 points and the UAE on 19.
