UAE won the toss and elected to bat first, scoring 277 runs for the loss of four wickets in the allotted 50 overs. Chasing the mammoth target of 278, Nepal managed to score only 270 losing eight wickets despite a valiant century by captain Paras Khadka.

Paras’s Efforts in Vain

In spite of the huge target at an asking rate of over 5.5 runs per over, Nepal put up a spirited chase beginning with a 38-run opening stand between Dilip Nath and Gyanendra Malla. Paras Khadka, who walked in after the fall of the first wicket, then put together useful partnerships of 73 runs with Dipendra Singh Airee and 63 runs with veteran middle order batsman Sharad Vesawkar.

After Vesawkar’s departure at the score of 174/4 in the 38^th over, Nepal required the rest of the batsmen to rally around Khadka in order to chase the target successfully. However, regular wickets at quick intervals did not help their cause.

Paras continued his stupendous effort scoring 112 runs in just 103 balls, which included three towering sixes in the last over. However, the task of scoring 28 runs in the 50^th over proved to be impossible even for the swashbuckling skipper leaving Nepal to be content with the runner-up title.

For UAE, opener Ashfaq Ahmed was the top scorer with 114 runs laced with 10 fours and 3 sixes, while skipper Rohan Mustafa scored 51 runs.

Sandeep Lamichhane, the joint highest wicket taker with 17 scalps in six matches was awarded the Man of the Tournament title.

It is noteworthy here that Nepal has earlier secured its position in the 2019 World Cup Qualifiers following an outstanding victory against Canada on February 14, 2018.

In the ICC World Cup Qualifiers scheduled to be held in Zimbabwe in March, 2018, Nepal will now play in Group B along with Afghanistan, Scotland, Hong Kong and the hosts.

The post Nepal Loses Narrowly to UAE in ICC WCL Division II Final Despite Khadka’s Heroics appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

As part of this journey, Nepali cricket team faced Namibian cricket team in the first match of the ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division-2 on February 08, 2018.

Winning the toss, Nepali team chose to bowl first. Basant Regmi and Shakti Gauchan form the major strength of Nepal team’s bowling order.

Whereas, Captain and Skipper Paras Khadka, Vice-Captain Gyanendra Malla, Sharad Vesawkar, Dilip Nath, Gyanendra Malla, and Dipendra Singh Airee, among others form the key batting order of the Nepali cricket team.

Besides, the team also has the leg-spin bowler Sandeep Lamichhane, who rose to fame after being chosen for the Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy in the recently-held auction.

Hoping the Best

“Our batting has to click. There is no doubt about that. The top and middle-order batsmen have to take the responsibilities and perform. At this level, we have to push ourselves to do better. As a team, everyone is hungry to perform, so I am hopeful we can deliver when it matters,” says Khadka.

Former Mumbai Coach for Ranji Trophy Sulakashan Kulkarni has been roped in as the batting consultant for the team in Division-2 matches.

“Kulkarni has been very strategic and very precise. Having a new experienced voice in the dressing room always helps. He has done what he needed to and now it all comes down to how we deliver,” adds Khadka.

Most Critical

This match is most critical for Nepal as it is important for Nepal to win this match to be positioned in the place in ICWCQ, establish itself as the one-day international cricket team and also win participation opportunity in the matches with non-Test playing countries.

To overcome this challenge, Nepal has to win the Division 2 which also has Kenya, Oman, UAE and Canada as competitors.

However, the match with Namibia sounds positive for Nepal going by the country’s win over Namibian cricket team in WCL Division-2 2015 which earned Nepali team entry into WCL championship.

Nepal has been moved to Division 2 tournament owing to its failure with UAE and Hong Kong teams in the final stages of WCL, exactly three ranks after the top four who entered the Qualifiers round.

While a total of six teams are competing, the top two teams of this round-robin league will move to finals and find a place in the ICCWCQ 2018 in coming March.

Post this match, Nepal will face Oman on February 9, 2018, and later the UAE team. Following this, the team will also play with Kenya on February 12, 2018, and play the final round match with Canada on February 14, 2018.

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