ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 encounter played at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) produced a clinical all-round performance to defeat Nepal by 5 wickets. Despite a brilliant century from Nepal captain Rohit Paudel, the home side showcased remarkable composure in the chase, registering an important win that boosted their standing in the League 2 points table.
Nepal won the toss and Opted to bat first, innings began with shaky notes when kushal Bhurtel fell on 7 and Bhim sharki on 3 , while Aasif sheikh after get good start only managed 35 runs ,Rohit Paudel to the crease, who once again demonstrated his class and temperament. Playing a captain’s knock, Paudel steadied the innings with a magnificent 109 runs off 130 balls, including 5 boundaries and 2 sixes. Rohit Paudel innings was marked by patience and precise shot selection, as he kept rotating the strike and punished loose deliveries.
He founded a brief support from Aarif Sheikh 27 and Dipendra Singh Airee 23, but wickets at regular intervals prevented Nepal from accelerating. From 131/4 at one stage, Nepal’s innings faltered in the death overs as UAE bowlers tightened their grip.
The standout bowler for UAE was Zahid Ali, who impressed with his variations and control, finishing with exceptional figures of 4 wickets for 41 runs. He dismantled Nepal’s lower order,ensuring that the visitors were restricted to 233 all out in 50 overs, while Junaid Siddique took 3 wickets and Mohammad Rohid Khan and Haider Ali gets one wicket each.
Chasing 234 runs, UAE’s innings got off to a flying start. Alishan Sharafu played a blistering cameo of 45 runs off just 26 balls, attacking the Nepal pacers and setting the tone for the chase. His aggressive approach helped UAE reach 63 runs inside the first powerplay,After Sharafu’s dismissal, Aryansh Sharma took responsibility and played fine innings in UAE colors. The young wicketkeeper-batter remained calm under pressure, crafting a fluent 98 runs off 98 balls. His innings was filled with elegant drives, smart singles, and the occasional boundary that kept the scoreboard ticking.
Mohammad Waseem 26 and Dhruv Parashar 16 played valuable supporting role to keep UAE a head of chase after retired hut skipper Rahul Chopra on 15 ,Despite losing a few wickets towards the end, UAE never looked in real trouble.Nepal tried to spark a late comeback with couple of breakthroughs ,but Sharma’s composure ensured there were no major hiccups. UAE eventually reached 237/5 in 43.3 overs, sealing a memorable 5-wicket win with 39 balls remaining.
Sandeep Lamichhane is pick of the bowler for Nepal 2/34 in 10 overs while Dipendra Singh Airee and Karan kc took one wicket each.
Nepal vs UAE Match summary
Toss: Nepal won the toss and Opted to bat first
Nepal innings: 233/10 in 50 overs
Top performer: Rohit Paudel 109 off 130, Zahid Ali 4/41 in 6 overs
UAE innings: 237/5 in 43.3 overs
Top performer: Aryansh Sharma 98 off 98 balls, Sandeep Lamichhane 2/34 in 10 overs
Result: UAE won by 5 wickets
Player of the match: Aryansh Sharma 98 off 98 balls