Lamichhane sets record as Nepal climb League‑2 table

By Pramod Joshi, Kathmandu, May 19: With ODI status at stake, Nepal stunned leaders Scotland by six wickets on Monday to move up to fifth place in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League‑2 Series.

Thanks to world‑record bowling from Sandeep Lamichhane, a hundred‑run partnership between captain Rohit Paudel and Ishan Pandey, and player of the match Lalit Rajbanshi’s four‑wicket haul, Nepal avenged their narrow two‑run loss to Scotland in the first match of this home‑leg tri‑series. It was also their third win over Scotland at TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur.

Following their dominant nine‑wicket win over second‑placed USA, the hosts secured another convincing victory. Nepal now have 22 points from 10 wins in 27 matches. They are level with Namibia but ahead on net run rate, moving two places up. Scotland, who remain top with 38 points, suffered their ninth loss. Nepal will face the USA to conclude their home series, with two further tri‑series scheduled this year in the Netherlands and Oman.

The Rhinos need as many wins as possible from their remaining nine matches to guarantee a top‑four finish, direct qualification for the World Cup, and retention of ODI status. The USA are second with 36 points from 26 matches, Oman third with 31 from 28, and the Netherlands fourth with 28 from 24.

Captain Paudel said the series has so far been good for Nepal: “All departments performed well today. Especially the way we bowled them out under 200 was very important. The spinners did most of the damage, and Rajbanshi finding form is very welcome.”

Praising Lamichhane’s fastest‑to‑150 milestone, Paudel added: “The way he has been bowling over the years, he deserves this. He has been tremendous in the last couple of series. Numbers do all the talking. Many more to come from him.”

“When it came to our batting, I think our opening start was very good until that run‑out. Ishan Pandey played really well. My partnership with him was very important. I am very happy to be back among the runs.”

Nepal's chase

The 104‑run third‑wicket stand between Paudel and Pandey helped Nepal chase down the 195‑run target, finishing on 196 for four with 71 balls to spare.

Openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh, who had struck a century partnership against the USA, made an aggressive start. They added 58 before a miscommunication ended their stand in the seventh over. Bhurtel’s mis‑call cost Sheikh his wicket in a run‑out. Sheikh struck three boundaries and two sixes in his quick‑fire 29 off 17 balls before being run‑out by Munsey and Davidson.

Bhurtel followed in the next over, trapped lbw by McMullen for 28. At 59 for two, Pandey and Paudel steadied the innings, taking Nepal to 163 before Pandey was caught and bowled by Watt in the 30th over. Playing his second ODI, Pandey struck his maiden half‑century, scoring 55 off 61 balls with five fours and two sixes.

Vice‑captain Dipendra Singh Airee, consistent throughout the home series, fell cheaply for two. With 28 runs required, Paudel held his nerve, finishing unbeaten on 74 off 98 balls, including five boundaries and two sixes. He completed his 12th ODI fifty from 76 balls. Aarif Sheikh remained not out on eight. Watt took two wickets, while McMullen claimed one.

Earlier, electing to bat first, Scotland’s innings was undone by the spinner duo Lamichhane and Rajbanshi, who shared seven wickets between them. The visitors were bowled out for a modest 194 runs in 39.1 overs.

The left‑arm spinner Rajbanshi, who had been searching for wickets in recent matches, returned figures of 4 for 32 from 8 overs, while the leg‑spinner Lamichhane finished with 3 for 47 from 10 overs. Captain Paudel’s decision to use spin early paid off as off‑spinner Airee trapped opener Finlay McCreath (6) leg before in the fourth over. 

Lamichhane bowled fellow opener George Munsey (21 off 31 balls) for his first wicket of the day in the 12th over. Rajbanshi then dismissed captain Richie Berrington (12) in the 15th over for his first wicket in four matches as Scotland reeled to 84/3.

Fastest 150-milestone

McMullen then took control of the innings and smashed his sixth ODI half‑century in an explosive knock of 73 off 44 balls, including six fours and six sixes. Scotland looked set for a big total, but Lamichhane provided the breakthrough, having McMullen caught by Pandey at long‑off in the 20th over.

With McMullen’s wicket, Lamichhane became the world’s fastest bowler to reach 150 ODI wickets. He achieved the feat in just 73 matches, surpassing the previous record held by Australia’s Mitchell Starc, who reached the mark in 77 games. 

The leg‑spinner also holds the record for being the fastest to 100 ODI wickets, achieved in just 42 matches Lamichhane said it is good to be in the record books: “It is a pretty special moment for me, for my family, friends, teammates and all the well‑wishers. I hope to continue in the same way, contributing to the country.”

At McMullen’s dismissal, Scotland were 126 for 4. Lamichhane then bowled Matthew Cross (1) to reduce the tourists to 130/5 in the 22nd over. Michael English and Mark Watt added 45 for the sixth wicket before Watt fell to Sompal Kami. Watt scored 20 from 34 balls with a four and a six.

Rajbanshi struck again, trapping Michael Leask lbw for 1 and bowling Oliver Davidson for a duck. Debutant Ollie Jones managed just 2 before becoming Rajbanshi’s fourth victim. The last man out was English, who made a fighting 51 off 72 balls with four boundaries and a six, before being caught by Sompal at deep square leg off Nandan Yadav.