Nepal registered the record nine-wicket win over Papua New Guinea (PNG) on Monday at TU Cricket Ground. After restricting PNG to a mere 95 runs, their second-lowest score in ODI, Nepal chased down the target with 254 balls spare, which is the sixth-largest win in the ODI (in terms of balls remaining).
After a humongous win, Nepal finished on the happier side in all six matches of CWC League 2 against PNG. They are the only opponents Nepal managed to bag a 100% result in the League.
Nepal played their first match against PNG in March 2022 at Sharjah. Rohit Paudel’s 60 helped Nepal chase the target of 205 with four balls spare and just two wickets remaining. In the next match, Nepal sealed a seven-wicket win, chasing an average target of 174 in just 37 overs. Kushal Bhurtl and Aarif Sheikh scored fifty each. Nepal lost the other two matches of the series against UAE, failing to chase an average target in both matches.
On 27th February, Nepal bagged a four-wicket win chasing 204 runs. Kushal Bhurtel was the star scoring crucial 56 runs. The triumph was followed by a hard-fought three-wicket win on March third. Aasif Sheikh was the star of the match with an unbeaten 86 runs.
Nepal were batting first against PNG for the first time in the series when they faced Assad Vala’s side at TU Cricket Ground on the ninth of March. The home side were victorious by 45 runs after setting their highest score in ODI. On 13th March, Nepal closed the fixture against PNG with a record win.
Nepal is just two points away from the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe, 18 wins in 35 matches, what a turn around in #WCL2 points table.
Nepal in last 10 matches – ✅✅✅✅✅🟥✅✅✅✅ pic.twitter.com/MXFBeZ5l0k— cricnepal.com 🇳🇵 🦏 (@cricnepal) March 13, 2023
After winning ten of the last 11 matches, Nepal are in the fourth position of CWC League 2 table. The win in the last match of the series against UAE on the 16th of March will take Nepal to the third position surpassing Namibia, which eventually will seal the direct spot in the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe.
