Muscat, October 19: Nepal held their nerve in a dramatic finish to defeat hosts Oman by 10 runs in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, defending a target of 281 runs at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground on Monday.
Batting first after winning the toss, Nepal posted 280 runs in 50 overs, powered by half-centuries from Rohit Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee and Dev Khanal.
Paudel top-scored with 80 off 81 deliveries, while Airee contributed 69 off 62 balls. Khanal added 57 off 65 deliveries. Paudel and Airee shared a crucial 139-run fourth-wicket partnership after Nepal slipped to 99/3, helping the visitors recover and set a competitive total. Oman’s Shah Faisal claimed five wickets, while Jay Odedra took three.
In reply, Oman finished on 270/7 in their 50 overs, falling just 10 runs short of victory. Hassnain Shah launched a late assault, smashing an unbeaten 40 off just 23 balls, while Jatinder Singh and Hammad Mirza had earlier kept Oman in contention with a strong partnership.
Nepal’s bowlers came under pressure during the chase but managed to hold on in the final overs to secure a hard-fought victory. Dipendra Singh Airee finished with two wickets, while Nandan Yadav claimed one.
The narrow win highlighted Nepal’s resilience with both bat and ball, as they successfully defended their total against a determined Omani side.
Final Score:
- Nepal: 280 all out (50 overs)
- Oman: 270/7 (50 overs)
- Result: Nepal won by 10 runs.
