Nepal have scripted an improbable and dramatic turnaround to book a direct berth in the 2023 World Cup Qualifier, to be held in Zimbabwe this June. They achieved that feat in controversial circumstances, in dying light in Kathmandu on Thursday, defeating the UAE by nine runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method.
Set a target of 310, Nepal were 41 runs adrift with six overs and four wickets remaining when the match was called off by the umpires at 5.37pm local time, the officials having deemed it was too dark to continue. As per the DLS calculations Nepal’s target at that point was 260 but they had got to 269, so they were declared winners by nine runs.
That chat seemed to pacify the UAE dressing room, and their players finally walked out to shake hands with the Nepal players. This drama unfolded in front a record full house at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, where, according to commentators on ICC TV which broadcast the match, crowds had queued since 4.30am. The ground was packed, and fans were spotted on terraces and even climbed trees along the periphery to get a glimpse of the action, and they were still around at 6.30pm for the post-match celebrations. “I’m grateful to them,” Paudel said of the fans, “the way they have come in large numbers and supported and motivated us.”