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UTRECHT, July 21 — Nepal suffered a comprehensive eight-wicket defeat against Namibia in the 116th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two after another disappointing batting performance at Sportpark Maarschalkerweerd in Utrecht on Tuesday.



Namibia’s JJ Smit produced a match-winning spell of six wickets for 27 runs as Nepal were bowled out for just 157 in 46.5 overs. Namibia comfortably chased the 158-run target, reaching 159 for two in 37.4 overs. Smit was named Player of the Match for his outstanding bowling performance.



After winning the toss and choosing to field, Namibia made an immediate breakthrough when Smit bowled Nepal opener Kushal Bhurtel for two with the second delivery of the match.



Ishan Pandey struggled to build momentum and made eight from 31 deliveries, while wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh contributed 16. Their dismissals left Nepal in trouble at 40 for three in the 16th over.



Captain Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee attempted to rebuild the innings with a 53-run partnership. However, Dipendra’s dismissal for 30 triggered another collapse. Nepal slipped from 93 for three to 99 for six as Aarif Sheikh fell without scoring and Paudel departed for a patient 31 from 60 balls.



Gulsan Jha made 20, while Sompal Kami and Karan KC contributed 15 and 18 respectively, but Nepal were unable to produce a substantial late-innings partnership. Smit completed his six-wicket haul by dismissing Karan and Nandan Yadav near the end of the innings.



Jack Brassell and Bernard Scholtz supported Smit with two wickets each. Scholtz was particularly economical, conceding only 22 runs from his 10 overs.



Namibia also lost an early wicket in their chase when Nandan Yadav removed Alexander Volschenk for two, reducing them to 21 for one. However, Michael van Lingen and Jan Frylinck ended Nepal’s hopes with an 87-run partnership for the second wicket.



Van Lingen scored 51 from 78 balls before being bowled by Paudel, but Frylinck remained unbeaten and guided Namibia to victory. He struck eight fours and a six in his 77 not out from 89 deliveries. Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton supported him with an unbeaten 17 as the pair completed the chase with 74 balls remaining.



Nepal used seven bowlers, but only Yadav and Paudel claimed a wicket each. Dipendra was the most economical, conceding 23 runs from eight overs, while Sandeep Lamichhane finished wicketless after giving away 32 runs from seven overs.



The defeat highlighted Nepal’s continued difficulties in building partnerships and converting starts into significant scores in the League Two competition.



Brief scores: Nepal 157 all out in 46.5 overs (Rohit Paudel 31, Dipendra Singh Airee 30; JJ Smit 6–27, Bernard Scholtz 2–22) lost to Namibia 159–2 in 37.4 overs (Jan Frylinck 77 not out, Michael van Lingen 51) by eight wickets.

UTRECHT — Nepal’s bowlers briefly raised hopes of defending a modest total, but Netherlands captain Scott Edwards produced a composed unbeaten half-century to secure a six-wicket victory in the 117th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two.



The Netherlands recovered from 73 for four to reach their 158-run target in 44.1 overs. Edwards finished unbeaten on 61 from 89 deliveries and was named Player of the Match.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Nepal’s top order collapses again</h2>



Asked to bat after losing the toss, Nepal made a difficult start as their first four wickets fell for only 42 runs.



Aasif Sheikh scored 14, Kushal Bhurtel made nine, captain Rohit Paudel managed three and Ishan Pandey was dismissed for four. Alexander Roy caused most of the early damage, claiming three wickets in an economical eight-over spell.



Dipendra Singh Airee and Aarif Sheikh attempted to rebuild the innings, but the scoring rate remained low. Dipendra departed for 21 from 42 balls before Aarif added a valuable partnership with Gulsan Jha.



Gulsan provided Nepal’s most aggressive contribution, hitting two sixes in his 29 from 42 deliveries. Aarif battled for 90 balls and top-scored with 41, but Nepal were eventually bowled out for 157 in 44.4 overs.



Roy finished with three wickets for 24 runs, while veteran spinner Roelof van der Merwe claimed three for 15. Logan van Beek took two wickets as the Dutch attack prevented Nepal from using their full 50 overs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Nepal fight back with the ball</h2>



Nepal gave themselves an opportunity by making regular breakthroughs during the Netherlands chase.



Sompal Kami bowled Max O’Dowd for nine before Dipendra removed Cedric de Lange for 21. Lalit Rajbanshi then dismissed Bas de Leede for one, while Zach Lion-Cachet was run out for 21, leaving the hosts under pressure at 73 for four in the 23rd over.



However, Nepal could not break the fifth-wicket partnership between Edwards and Noah Croes.



The pair added an unbroken 85 runs, calmly reducing the target without taking unnecessary risks. Croes supported his captain with an unbeaten 34 from 59 balls, while Edwards struck two fours and one six during his match-winning innings.



Lalit was Nepal’s most economical bowler, returning figures of one for 22 from 10 overs, including three maidens. Dipendra conceded only eight runs from four overs and took one wicket, but Sandeep Lamichhane remained wicketless as the Netherlands completed the chase with 35 balls remaining.



The result leaves Nepal with further questions over their batting, particularly after another failure to establish a strong top-order partnership or post a competitive total.



Brief scores: Nepal 157 all out in 44.4 overs (Aarif Sheikh 41, Gulsan Jha 29; Alexander Roy 3/24, Roelof van der Merwe 3/15) lost to Netherlands 158/4 in 44.1 overs (Scott Edwards 61 not out, Noah Croes 34 not out) by six wickets.



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 117th Match — ICC Cricket World Cup League Two
 

 
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Cricket in Nepal has never been just a sport—it’s an emotion. From packed stadiums to millions watching from home, the passion is undeniable. But while the players continue to punch above their weight internationally, the system behind them still struggles to keep up.



As the country looks toward forming a new government, there is a growing hope among fans and stakeholders that this moment could finally bring long-overdue structural reforms to Nepal cricket.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Ownership and Control of Grounds: A Basic Necessity</h3>



One of the most urgent demands is clear: give full ownership and permanent management rights of key cricket venues to the Cricket Association of Nepal.



This includes the iconic Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground (TU Ground) and the developing Lower Mulpani Cricket Ground.



Right now, the lack of direct control over these venues creates constant uncertainty. Scheduling matches, upgrading facilities, and long-term planning all become complicated when the governing body doesn’t fully own or manage its own grounds.



If CAN is to operate professionally and efficiently, it needs full authority over its primary infrastructure—just like top cricketing nations do.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Infrastructure: The Backbone of Growth</h3>



Nepal’s cricketing success has come largely from raw talent and passion. But talent alone isn’t enough to sustain growth at the highest level.



The new government must actively support CAN in building cricket infrastructure across the country:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Regional stadiums</li>



<li>High-performance training centers</li>



<li>Indoor practice facilities</li>



<li>Grassroots academies</li>
</ul>



Without these, the pipeline of future stars will remain limited, and player development will continue to rely on luck rather than structure.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Bigger Reform: An Autonomous Cricket Board</h3>



Perhaps the most important reform being discussed is the formation of a fully autonomous Nepal Cricket Board—similar to the Board of Control for Cricket in India.



Currently, CAN operates under the National Sports Council, which often brings bureaucratic delays and limits independent decision-making.



For Nepal to truly grow in world cricket, its governing body must:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Operate independently</li>



<li>Make quick strategic decisions</li>



<li>Manage finances transparently</li>



<li>Plan long-term without political interference</li>
</ul>



An autonomous structure would allow cricket to be run by cricket professionals—not constrained by administrative red tape.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Dream: Becoming a Test Nation</h3>



All these demands ultimately point toward one goal—Nepal becoming a Test-playing nation.



It’s a dream that no longer feels unrealistic. Nepal has already shown its potential on the international stage. What’s missing is not talent, but structure.



With:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Proper infrastructure</li>



<li>Full control of cricketing venues</li>



<li>An independent governing body</li>
</ul>



Nepal can build a system strong enough to compete consistently at the highest level.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Final Thoughts</h3>



This is a critical moment. A new government brings a chance to reset priorities and invest in what truly matters.



Cricket has already united the country in ways few things can. Now, it’s time for leadership to match that passion with action.



Because if the right decisions are made today, the dream of seeing Nepal play Test cricket won’t just remain a dream—it will become reality.

Cricket Association of Nepal premier domestic 50 over competition is going to be held from 21 March to 17 April . <a href="https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/men-s-pm-cup-2025-26-1527930/match-schedule-fixtures-and-results" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/men-s-pm-cup-2025-26-1527930/match-schedule-fixtures-and-results">PM Cup</a> serves as selection tournament for Nepal Senior Men&#8217;s Team . The league will be and going to be played in 4 grounds including TU stadium . Nepal position in ICC CWCL2 is at bottom two of the table so Nepal must find good fast bowlers with ability to bowl according to match situation . 



For domestic player it is important to perform well to get chance of playing in senior men&#8217;s national team .

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