Category Archives: 2018 World Cup Qualifiers

Test cricket in 10 years: Captain’s aim after ODI status

Hundreds of supporters flocked the Kathmandu Airport to welcome the Nepal cricket team on their return from Zimbabwe. Nepal gained One Day International (ODI) status after beating Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea in the Cricket World Cup Qualifiers. Standing eighth in the tournament ahead of Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong, Nepal confirmed their status amongst the elites in the 50 over format. Captain Paras Khadka, who normally is very content in public, raised his hands with joy and greeted the fans with big smile upon the team’s arrival. “This is a dream come true for all the players and everyone involved,” Paras said. “This is the biggest achievement in the history of Nepalese cricket. With ODI status in… Read More

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Netherlands beat Nepal to finish 7th

ICC World Cricket League Championship winners the Netherlands defeated Nepal by 45 runs to finish seventh in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier at Kwekwe Sports Club. Batting first, the Dutch collected 189 for nine with Bas de Leede (39), Max O’Dowd (28), Roelof van der Merwe (25), Scott Edwards (25) and Pieter Seelaar (23) making contributions with the bat. Nepal fast bowler Sompal Kami returned figures of four for 24, while Lalit Rajbanshi and Sandeep Lamichhane bagged two wickets each, conceding 38 and 41 runs, respectively. In turn, van der Merwe recorded figures of 10-1-20-4 as Nepal were spun out for 144. Van der Merwe was later declared Player of the Match. Sompal followed up his four for 24… Read More

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HISTORIC DAY: Nepal earns ODI status after beating PNG

March 15, 2018 will be considered historic day for Nepal’s cricket as Nepal secured One-Day International (ODI) status after beating Papua New Guinea (PNG) by 6 wickets in Cricket World Cup Qualifiers at Old Hararians Sports Club, Zimbabwe. Nepal’s match against any of 15 other ODI nations after the conclusion of CWCQ on March 25 will be recorded as ODI cricket match. Nepal will also be Twenty20 International nation. The status will be in place for at least four years until 2022 Cricket World Cup Qualifiers. For the records, Nepal joins India, South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Scotland, U.A.E., and Netherlands as ODI nation. Today’s results also meant Nepal’s stay on… Read More

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Nepal beat Hong Kong to keep alive ODI hopes

For Hong Kong, it was a simple formula in last match of the first round of the World Cup Qualifiers 2018: beat Nepal to go to Super Sixes and retain ODI status. For Afghanistan, who had just one victory against Nepal from four matches, it was even simpler: Nepal beat Hong and they are through. For Nepal, Super Sixes was mathematically possible, practically not, but a victory meant there was still a chance to get ODI status for next four years. Nepal’s five-wicket victory over Hong Kong in Bulawayo made Nepal and Afghanistan happier and Hong Kong sadder. Hong Kong reduced Nepal to 66/5 in pursuit of only 154 for victory. But an outstanding unbroken stand of 89 for the… Read More

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WCQ 2018: Zimbabwe makes merry of Nepal’s bowling

Zimbabwe scored 380 for 6 in 50 overs. The match ended right there for Nepal. It’s was the biggest total that any team had scored against Nepal, a team that always performed brilliantly with balls and poorly with the bat. However, Nepal could have salvaged little pride from the loss batting 50 overs and scoring some runs. That was exactly the case – Nepal batted 50 overs; scored 264 runs and didn’t lose all wickets. Two of the batsmen scored half-centuries and players, young and experienced, had some good, morale boosting batting practice going into next matches of the World Cup Qualifiers 2018. Nepal lost the match by 116 runs. Punishing centuries by Sikandar Raza and Brendan Taylor helped the… Read More

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A rollercoaster of emotions with Team Nepal

In a country where the players are heroes and the sport acts as a balm of sorts, excitement is high for the side’s appearance in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018. How often does a team, chasing 195 for victory in 50 overs, get to 144/9 in 42.1 overs and still not concede defeat? This is Nepal’s story. In an ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division Two game in Windhoek on 14 February 2018, Karan KC got together with Sandeep Lamichhane for the last wicket with the target still 51 runs away. Lamichhane faced 18 balls and scored five runs. Karan did the rest, ending unbeaten on a 31-ball 42. Not to forget that Karan was not a top-order… Read More

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Nepal to rely on raw talent in World Cup Qualifiers

Nepal will be the youngest side when it enters next month’s ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe in their quest to progress to the ICC’s pinnacle 50-over tournament – the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Nepal have not played an ODI in their young but impressive cricket history and the average age of their side is 24 years and one month. Furthermore, five of the six youngest players in the tournament are from Nepal. They are: 15-year-old right-handed batsman Rohit Paudel, 17-year-old wrist-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, 18-year-old all-rounder Dipendra Airee, 19-year-old left-arm spinner Lalit Rajbanshi and right-handed batsman Anil Sah. Nepal have earned their maiden ticket to the qualifier by finishing second in last week’s ICC World Cricket League Division… Read More

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Nepal’s World Cup Qualifiers 2018 fixtures

After finishing top two in the World Cricket League 2018, Nepal qualified for the 2018 ICC World Cup Qualifiers to be held in Zimbabwe from March 4 to 25, 2018. The finalists of the Qualifiers will both progress to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 to be held in England and Wales, whilst the Netherlands (ICC World Cricket League Championship winners) and the three highest finishing Associate Members will earn ODI status till 2022 upon the conclusion of the event. The West Windies, Ireland, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea and UAE make up Group A, while Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Scotland, Hong Kong and Nepal form Group B. Each side will play the other teams in their group once with the top… Read More

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