In Saturday’s rain-affected match, Nepal was invited to bat first and scored 187 runs losing seven wickets in 46 overs. In reply, Ireland was restricted to 175 runs chasing a revised target of 186. Rahul BK took four wickets in the last over to guide Nepal to the World Cup.[break]
Nepal did not have a good start as it lost the wicket of Subash Khakurel (5) in the first ball of the second over. Naresh Budhayer, who completed a half-century against Namibia, was out for a duck. Nepal had lost two wickets by the end of the second over with only five runs on the board.
Sagar Pun and Rajesh Pulami then shared a partnership of 52 runs off 108 balls. Nepali skipper Prithu Baskota was retired hurt on eight runs in the 10th over. Pulami was out in 19.3 overs when the team total was 57.
Pradeep Airee and Pun tried to guide the team to a respectable total but were not successful as Airee (9) gave away his wicket in 23.5 overs. Pun and Krishna Karki shared a 59-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Pun faced 100 balls for his 50 runs that included a huge six and three boundaries before being caught at long-on. Karki scored 35 runs off 60 balls.
After Karki’s dismissal, skipper Baskota returned to the crease and helped the team post a respectable total. Baskota was bowled in the second ball of the 45th over on 18 runs. Nepal scored nine runs in the 45th over, and in the last over Rahul BK slammed 21 and guided the team to 187 runs. BK was not out on 38 runs off 19 balls that included three fours and two huge sixes. Rupesh Shrivastav was not out on three runs.
George Dockrell was the most successful bowler for Ireland with three wickets. Shane Getkate and Adam Coughlan shares two wickets each.
Ireland, too, did not have a good start as it lost Adam Berry for a duck in the third ball of the third over. Successful spinner Bhuwan Karki got the breakthrough with the wicket of Andy McBrine on 10 runs. McBrine and Jason Van Dar Merwe had a 41-run partnership off 67 balls.
In the same over Karki dismissed Ross Adair for a duck. In the second ball of the 17th over, skipper Baskota grabbed the wicket of Van Dar Merwe on 29 runs. In 42.5 overs Coughlan was run out after scoring 48 runs off 86 balls. He shared a 107-run partnership for the fifth wicket with captain George Dockrell.
Skipper Dockrell was sent back to the pavilion by Avinash Karna in 44.2 overs. Dockrell scored 55 runs off 86 balls. In the last over Rahul BK took the wickets of Graeme McCarter (4), Barry McCarthy, S Getkate and S Campbell to guide Nepal to victory.
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