In the ICC World League-2 triangular ODI series, Nepal won the toss and chose to bat first against UAE at TU Cricket Ground. Despite losing three wickets in the power play, Nepal managed to set a strong target of 249 runs in 49.2 overs.
Captain Rohit Poudel was the highest scorer for Nepal, contributing 77 runs in 112 balls with 9 fours. He completed his eighth ODI half-century and became the batsman with the most ODI half-centuries from Nepal, surpassing Gyanendra Malla and Asif Shaikh who have hit 7 fifties each in ODIs. Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla and Arif Shaikh have scored 4 fifties each in ODIs.
Bhim and Rohit shared a 54-run partnership for Nepal’s fourth wicket, leading Nepal to 22-3. Arif Shaikh and Rohit Paudel shared 86 runs for Nepal, who reached the state of 76-4 at one time.
UAE’s Ayan Khan took 2 wickets with 47 runs in 10 overs, while Rohan Mustafa and Zahoor Khan took 2 wickets each. Zawar Farid took 2 wickets for 9 runs in 3 overs, and Aryan Lakra and Junaid Siddique took one wicket each.
Nepal scored 21 runs with three sixes off Rohan Mustafa in the 47th over and added 15 runs with three fours in the 46th over. In the end, Nepal were all out for 248 runs in 49.2 overs.
Overall, it was a strong performance by Nepal, led by Captain Rohit Poudel, and UAE now faces a tough challenge to chase down the target of 249 runs.
