Kathmandu, May 2: Nepal held off the United Arab Emirates by six runs in a rain-affected ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match at the Tribhuvan University Ground on Friday.
Chasing a revised target of 255 from 38 overs under the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method, the UAE finished on 248 for eight, falling narrowly short despite a steady pursuit. The result followed Nepal’s earlier 37-run win over the same opponent.
Batting first after winning the toss, Nepal posted 289 for seven in 50 overs, powered by a measured century from Dipendra Singh Airee. He scored 100 off 94 balls, holding the innings together through the middle overs. Binod Bhandari contributed 56, Gulshan Jha added 44, and skipper Rohit Paudel made 39 to lift the total to a competitive level.
The UAE responded with a balanced chase, keeping within reach of the revised target for most of the innings. Mohammad Shahzad led with 65 off 72 balls, while Tanveer struck 49 and Harpreet Singh added 41. Even so, the visitors struggled to raise the tempo in the final overs.
Nepal’s bowlers delivered under pressure. Sandeep Lamichhane picked up three wickets and reached the milestone of 100 ODI wickets during the match. Sompal Kami and Nandan Yadav claimed two wickets each, tightening the grip in the closing stages.
The win boosts Nepal’s standing in the League 2 table, while the UAE remain at the bottom. Nepal will face Oman next in their final game of the series before hosting the United States and Scotland later this month.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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