Second Win for Nepal in World Cup Qualifiers 2023
Nepal pulled off a thrilling win over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 3 wickets in the 7th place playoff semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 on July 2, 2023. The emerging team secured the win with 40 balls to spare.
Nepal opted to go with the ball after the toss fell in their favour. Put in to bat first, UAE made 181 and were all out in the 47th over of the match. On their behalf, Vriitya Aravind scored 44, while Rohan Mustafa scored 35. Nepal’s bowlers were led by Sandeep Lamichhane, who took 3 for 23 in his 10-over spell.
In reply, Nepal got off to a poor start as they lost their opener, Arjun Saud, at 1. His co-opener batter Kushal Bhurtel strived with his restful 35 but failed eventually to get Nepal to a good start as they lost their major three wickets at 49. However, Dipendra Singh Airee and Gulsan Jha put on a helpful partnership to steady the innings. Airee top-scored with an unbeaten 79 off 85, while Lamichhane made 23 not out as Nepal reached their target with 40 balls to spare.
The win is Nepal’s second against UAE in the tournament, having also beaten them in the group stage. It also sets up a 7th-place playoff final against Ireland on Monday.
Key Performers
- Dipendra Singh Airee (Nepal): 79 runs off 85 balls
- Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal): 3 wickets for 23 runs
- Vriitya Aravind (UAE): 44 runs off 75 balls
- Rohan Mustafa (UAE): 35 runs off 56 balls
The Impact of the Win
The win is a major boost for Nepal’s confidence as they look to finish the tournament on a high. It also shows that they are capable of beating top teams, having already beaten UAE and Oman in the tournament.
The win also sets up a mouth-watering 7th place playoff final against Ireland. Both teams will be looking to finish the tournament on a high, and it promises to be a close and exciting match.
