KATHMANDU, Oct 16: Nepal has qualified for the ICC T20 World Cup for the second consecutive time. Following the UAE’s convincing 77-run victory over Samoa in the second match of the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier on Wednesday, Nepal secured its spot in the World Cup with two matches remaining.
Later on Wednesday, Nepal defeated the hosts, Oman, by 38 runs in a crucial match, climbing to the top of the Super Six standings.
After opener Kushal Bhurtel’s brilliant half-century, Nepal’s bowlers produced a collective display of precision and discipline to secure their fourth consecutive victory in the tournament.
Chasing a target of 152 runs, Oman managed only 113 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs. The Omani batters struggled under constant pressure from Nepal’s tight bowling attack.
Oman qualifies for ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024
For Oman, Vinayak Shukla top-scored with 32 runs, while Mohammad Nadeem contributed 25. None of the other batters could make a notable impact, leaving Oman well short of the target.
For Nepal, Gulshan Jha starred with the ball, taking three wickets for 31 runs in his four overs. Sompal Kami and Nandan Yadav also bowled economically, claiming two wickets each, while Sandeep Lamichhane added one.
Earlier, after winning the toss and opting to bat first at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Muscat, Nepal posted 151 runs for nine wickets in their 20 overs, thanks to Bhurtel’s fluent half-century.
Openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh gave Nepal a solid start, adding 61 runs for the first wicket. However, Nepal suffered a middle-order collapse after Aasif was dismissed for 24 runs off 20 balls. Captain Rohit Paudel (1), Dipendra Singh Airee (2), and Kushal Malla (7) all departed cheaply, reducing Nepal to 81 for four.
Holding one end, Bhurtel anchored the innings with a composed knock of 69 runs off 51 balls, including seven fours and a six. Gulshan Jha added a quickfire 18 off 10 balls late in the innings to help Nepal reach a respectable total.
For Oman, Nadeem Khan bowled superbly, claiming four wickets for just 20 runs in his four overs.
With this victory, Nepal sits atop the Super Six table with eight points from four matches, while Oman trails in second with six points. Oman has also made its place in the T20 World Cup.
Nepal is now just one step away from lifting the World Cup Qualifier title.
