Nepal edge UAE in rain-hit thriller as Airee’s strikes century

By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, May 2: Nepal registered a narrow six-run victory over the United Arab Emirates in a rain-affected ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match at the Tribhuvan University Ground on Friday.

Set a revised target of 255 in 38 overs under the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method, the UAE fell just short, finishing on 248 for eight despite a spirited chase. The result followed Nepal’s 37-run win in the earlier fixture.

The home side’s triumph was built around a composed century from Dipendra Singh Airee, who struck 100 off 94 balls, anchoring Nepal to 289 for seven in their allotted 50 overs after opting to bat first. He found useful support from Binod Bhandari at 56, Gulshan Jha added 44 and captain Rohit Paudel chipped in 39, helping Nepal post a competitive total.

In reply, the UAE kept pace with the revised target through contributions across the batting order. Mohammad Shahzad led the effort with 65 off 72 balls, while Tanveer added a brisk 49 and Harpreet Singh chipped in with 41. However, the visitors were unable to accelerate sufficiently in the closing stages.

Nepal’s bowlers held their nerve under pressure. Sandeep Lamichhane was the standout performer, claiming three wickets and reaching a personal milestone of 100 ODI wickets during the match. Sompal Kami and Nandan Yadav picked up two wickets apiece to restrict the UAE in the final overs.

With the victory, Nepal strengthened their position in the League 2 standings, while the UAE remained at the bottom of the table. Nepal will next face Oman in their final match of the series before hosting another round of fixtures involving the United States and Scotland later this month.