Nepal defeats UAE, qualifies for ICC World Cup Qualifier

KATHMANDU: Nepal has qualified for ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifier defeating United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 9 runs through Duckworth Lewin Stern (DLS) method after low visibility stopped the play.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, UAE scored 310 runs losing six wickets in the alloted 50 overs. Nepal was crusiing at 269/6 after 44 overs when umpires stopped the play due to low visibility in the ground.

With this victory, Nepal leapfrogged Namibia to finish third in the World Cricket League (WCL) -2 table, behind Scotland and Oman.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifier will be held in Zimbabwe in June.

Despite losing its first wicket inside third over, UAE steadied its innings and accelerated the scoring hitting Nepali bowlers all over the ground. Captain Muhammad Waseem laid the foundation scored 63 runs from 49 balls. Vriitya Aravind lost his wicket in the final ball of the innings. He scored 94 runs from 138 balls. It was, however, Asif Khan who stole the show. He played an aggressive knock of 101 runs off just 42 balls which included four fours and 11 hits over the fences.

With this knock, Khan has become the fourth fastest ODI centurion behind ABD de Villies, CJ Anderson and Shahid Afridi.

Dipendra Sigh Airee took two UAE wickets giving just 19 runs in his eight-over spell. Lalit Rajbanshi, Sompal Kami and Sandeep Lamichhane took one wicket each.

Chasing 311 to qualify for the ICC World Cup 2023 Qualifier, Nepal lost openeer Aasif Sheikh for a duck after just three balls. But four Nepali batsmen scored half centuries to keep Nepal in the hunt. While Kushal Bhurtel scored 50 runs from 35 balls, Bhim Sarki contributed 67 runs from 76 balls and Aarif Sheikh and Gulshan Jha scored 52 runs and 50 runs, respectively. Jha and Dipendra Singh Airee were on the crease when umpires stopped the play citing poor visibility.