Nepal began their last tri-series of the ICC CWC League-2 cycle with a win as they beat Canada by 24 runs on Sunday. They are up against the hosts Oman on Tuesday, and they will be aiming to give continuity to the winning streak. A revamped Nepali squad, which has seen changes in the captainship and lineup, looks confident.
“We have created some good memories in Oman,” Stuart Law, Nepal’s head coach, told journalists on September 29. “The conditions are very good [in Oman].”
They opened the series on a good note, but they still have work to do to retain their ODI status.
On paper, a 24-run victory—bundling Canada out for 211 in 48.4 overs while defending a total of 235—looked comfortable. But the reality on the pitch was not so comfortable.
Nepal were invited to bat first. If it was not for Rohit Kumar Paudel’s 101 off 127, Nepali batting order would have collapsed for a far lower total. Other than Paudel, only three other Nepali batters scored in double digits.
Arjun Kumal, the young opener who is replacing Kushal Bhurtel, scored 23 off 54 and Basir Ahamad (30 off 57), the emerging all-rounder who is trying to seal his spot, helped Nepal’s scoreboard ticking. And it was again Gulshan Kumar Jha, who came in at seven and smashed 48 off 34, who helped Nepal reach the decent total.
Jha has been crucial for Nepal recently. With Nepal’s top and middle batting orders often crumbling, Jha has come to the rescue on many occasions.
Paudel, on the other hand, seems to have found comfort after handing the T20I captaincy to Dipendra Singh Airee and ODI captaincy to Sandeep Lamichhane. Paudel has had a better average and strike rate when he is not leading the side.
Returning to the match against Canada, it was the bowling side that rescued Nepal. Skipper Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, Karan KC and Nandan Yadav picked two wickets each, disallowing Canada to build a proper partnership.
All the participants in the eight-team ICC CWC League-2 cycle, which kicked off in February 2024, had one aim—to finish as one of the top four teams and progress to the qualifier for the 2027 Cricket World Cup. Nepal were no exception.
But Nepal, who finished third in the previous cycle and reached the qualifier, failed to perform this time. With 12 wins, 19 losses and two matches ending without a result, Nepal are sixth in the leaderboard and are entering the qualifier’s playoff alongside Canada, Namibia and the UAE.
Nepal got their 12th win on Sunday, when they faced Canada. Now, the Rhinos are looking for their 13th victory when they meet the hosts, Oman, on Tuesday.
Oman, on the other hand, have already sealed their spot in the World Cup Qualifier, alongside league champions USA, second-placed Scotland, and third-placed Netherlands.
While Tuesday’s clash against the hosts holds no weight in terms of direct qualification, Stuart Law’s side is determined to finish the League-2 cycle on a high note. Gaining points and refining tactical execution against top-tier opposition will be vital before the dates for the Qualifier Playoff are officially announced.
If Nepal defeat Canada and Oman in the remaining three fixtures, Nepal can finish as the fifth team. It would at least keep Nepal’s pride as one of the best Associate teams intact.
The Nepal vs Oman fixture begins at 11:45am Nepali time.