Kathmandu, October 12 Nepal secured a 24-run victory against Canada in the ICC Cricket World Cup League-2 match held at the Oman Cricket Academy Turf-1 on Sunday. Led by a record-breaking century from captain Rohit Paudel, Nepal successfully defended a target of 236 runs, restricting Canada to 211 all out with eight balls remaining. With this win, Nepal has climbed to the sixth position in the points table, strengthening its campaign to retain One Day International (ODI) status, which requires a top-six finish. Nepal now has 26 points from 33 matches, while Canada has dropped to seventh place with 25 points from 34 matches. Although Nepal’s mathematical chances of finishing in the top four—and securing direct qualification for the World Cup—have been eliminated, the victory remains significant for the team’s standing in the league. Batting first after losing the toss, Nepal faced a difficult start on a challenging pitch, losing two wickets for just 10 runs within the first three overs. Openers Aasif Sheikh (4) and Ishan Pandey (0) were both dismissed caught behind. Captain Rohit Paudel anchored the innings, scoring 101 runs off 127 balls. This performance marked his third ODI century, making him the first Nepali cricketer to achieve three centuries in the format, surpassing teammates Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, and Dipendra Singh Airee, who each have two. Paudel’s innings was supported by key partnerships: 46 runs with Arjun Kumal (23), 77 runs with Basir Ahmed (30), and a rapid 82-run stand with Gulshan Jha, who contributed 48 runs off 34 balls. Despite these efforts, Nepal’s lower order struggled, and the team was bowled out for 235 on the final ball of the innings. Canada’s Akhil Kumar was the pick of the bowlers, claiming four wickets. In response, Canada’s chase was stifled by a disciplined Nepali bowling attack. Karan KC dismissed opener Yuvraj Samra for one run. Although Aaron Johnson (44) and Samit Gohel (35) provided some resistance, they were dismissed in quick succession by Sandeep Lamichhane and a run-out, respectively. Despite contributions from Shreyas Movva (26) and an unbeaten 30 from Akhil Kumar, Canada could not maintain the required run rate. Sandeep Lamichhane, Karan KC, Lalit Rajbanshi, and Nandan Yadav each claimed two wickets for Nepal. Following the match, Rohit Paudel was named ‘Player of the Match.’ He credited his success to the instructions of coach Stuart Law, noting that his strategy was to remain at the crease for as long as possible. Captain Lamichhane praised Paudel’s leadership and the collective effort of the bowling unit in securing the win.
Article source: Gorkhapatra National Daily | Image credit: Gorkhapatra National Daily