Nepal earns ODI status after defeating PNG
Nepal secured One-Day International (ODI) status after beating Papua New Guinea by 6 wickets in ICC Cricket World Cup playoff match at the Old Hararians Sports Club in Harare, Zimbabwe on Thursday.
In an historic turn of events for Nepali cricket, the Nepal team earned One-Day-International (ODI) status under the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the first time since Nepal was recognized as an Associate Nation by the apex global cricketing body in 1996.
Nepal has been awarded the ODI status for a four-year period until the next World Cup qualifiers. All Nepali players playing the first ODI will be making their debuts. Nepal will also get an opportunity to participate in the much coveted ICC Inter-continental Cup, a marquee four-day event outside the Test world contested by nations with ODI status only.
Nepal joins India, South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Scotland, U.A.E., and Netherlands as ODI nation. Nepal can also host ODI teams after upgrading the cricket grounds at home up to the ODI standards set by the ICC. Nepal will also be Twenty20 International nation. The status will be in place for at least four years until 2022 Cricket World Cup Qualifiers.For the records,
Nepal is now listed as the 16th ODI nation in ICC official rankings for ODI nations led by India with 122 rating points. Nepal joins the illustrious list of Scotland, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as ODI nations outside the Test world, currently consisting of 12 teams.
Dipendra Singh Airee picked up four wickets and scored an unbeaten half-century to lead Nepal to a famous six-wicket win against Papua New Guinea; and Netherlands thrashed Hong Kong by 44 runs in an ICC Cricket World Cup playoff match to ensure Nepal’s ODI status.
Congratulations to Nepal! 🇳🇵
They will be an ODI team following #CWCQ after it was confirmed they will face Netherlands in the 7th place play-off! pic.twitter.com/t4zidcO4j1
— ICC (@ICC) March 15, 2018
In the play-off under the ICC World Cup Qualifiers underway in Harare, Zimbabwe on Thursday, with the contribution of four wickets and half-century score by Dipendra Singh Airee including one four and three sixes off 58 balls, Nepal reached the target of 115 runs.
Likewise, Aarif Sheikh scored 26 runs off 42 balls including one four before returning to the pavilion.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) had set a 115-run target for Nepal in the play-off match. Sent in to bat first after losing the toss, PNG made 114 runs losing all wickets in 27.2 overs.None of the PNG players secured more than 19 runs. CJA Amini scored highest 19 runs including one four off 18 balls while J Kila made 15 including two fours off 20 balls while TP Ura got contributed runs.
In reply, Sandeep Lamichhane and Deependra Singh Airee picked four wickets each and Sompal Kami and Karan KC took one wicket each.
Nepal will now play for the seventh place of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers against the Netherlands on Saturday.
