An enterprising contest culminates in an anticlimactic way as Nepal qualifies for the WC Qualifiers in Zimbabwe in June. With six overs to go, match officials called the contest off as UAE surpassed the regulation time to complete their 50 overs. UAE took plenty of time to change bowlers and set fielding and have only themselves to blame for the slow over rate as they took 4 and a half hours to ball 44 overs.
Chasing a target of 311, Nepal lost opener Aasif Sheikh cheaply while Kushal Malla also struggled and walked back to the pavilion after scoring just 5 runs. However, Kushal Bhurtel steadied the innings with a deft half-century. Bhim Sharki, Aarif Sheikh and Gulshan Kumar Jha also registered their fifties to keep Nepal alive in the contest.
With the game set to go down to the wire, it was Muhammad Waseem's over that changed the complexion of the game. While Nepal where behind the par score in the D/L method, Waseem conceeded 20 runs in the 42nd over which gave Nepal the edge.
In the end, the Rohit Paudel-led squad notched up an unbelievable win while UAE team management continued their protests with officials, only to have it overturned.
Nepal win on DLS as the umpires have called it a day. At first they did not allow Bilal to bowl and then as Lakra was getting ready the umpires came back together and decided that we are over time. The crowd roars, Nepal celebrate and they are straight into the world cup qualifier.
Gulshan Kumar Jha completes his fifty - becomes the fourth batter in the Nepal roster today to hit a half-century. UAE bowlers struggle to put a cork on the run flow as Nepal steal 8 runs at the end of the 44th over. Nepal need 42 runs more from 36 balls.
44
overs
269/6score
1
1
2b
2
1lb
1
runs
Dipendra Singh Airee*
10(11)
Gulshan Kumar Jha
50(48)
Zahoor Khan
1/45
43.6 Zahoor Khan to Dipendra Singh Airee, attempted yorker as he drives a low full toss. Well fielded by the mid on fielder to keep it down to a single.
43.5 Zahoor Khan to Gulshan Kumar Jha, coming in with the angle and on to the stumps. He misses it but they run a single off the leg bye.
43.4 Zahoor Khan to Gulshan Kumar Jha, square drive and in the gap. They run another 2 from it and 50 up for Jha.
43.3 Zahoor Khan to Gulshan Kumar Jha, in swinging yorker. The batter missed it and so did the keeper. They run 2 off byes. Missed the stumps by inches.
43.2 Zahoor Khan to Dipendra Singh Airee, worked away on the outside as the ball came in with the angle. They take a single.
43.1 Zahoor Khan to Gulshan Kumar Jha, into the block hole. Well done by Jha to keep it out and they steal a single.
Zahoor Khan to bowl his penultimate over.
Gulshan Jha moves closer to fifty as Nepal inches closer to the target. Can UAE bowlers spring a late surprise? Nepal need 50 runs more from 42 balls.
43
overs
261/6score
2
1
1
1
1
0
runs
Dipendra Singh Airee*
8(9)
Gulshan Kumar Jha
47(44)
Junaid Siddique
3/51
42.6 Junaid Siddique to Dipendra Singh Airee, beaten on the outside edge. A dot to end the over.
42.5 Junaid Siddique to Gulshan Kumar Jha, off cutter and nicely played again towards point. Brilliant fielding to keep it down to one.
42.4 Junaid Siddique to Dipendra Singh Airee, guided away towards third man. Single taken.
42.3 Junaid Siddique to Gulshan Kumar Jha, off cutter again. Nudged down to point for a single.
42.2 Junaid Siddique to Dipendra Singh Airee, full toss and he drives it for just a single.
42.1 Junaid Siddique to Dipendra Singh Airee, slower ball. Worked away on the leg side. He just got in with the drag. The batter and the bowler bumped into each other but he still got in.
Junaid Siddique to bowl his final over.
Incredible luck for Gulshan Kumar Jha to get a lifeline after being dropped on 31. He immediately encashes it with three consecutive boundaries in the following deliveries as UAE rues the missed chance. Nepal are now cruising closer to the target as UAE can sense the match gradually slipping away from their hands. Nepal need 56 runs more from 48 balls.