Ireland grabs narrow victory over Nepal in seventh-place match

KATHMANDU: Ireland beat Nepal in a match for seventh position in Zimbabwe’s ongoing ICC World Cup qualifiers.

Ireland finished in seventh position, whereas Nepal finished in eighth.

Nepal defeated by two wickets in Harare’s Takasinga Sports Club.

Ireland accomplished the 269-run target set by Nepal losing 8 wickets in 49 overs.

Ireland’s half-centuries came from Kurtis Kaempfer and Harry Tector. Kaempfer scored 62 runs off 59 balls, including 5 fours and 1 six. Tector scored 60 runs in 76 balls, hitting four fours and two sixes.

Lorcan Tucker scored 24 off 22 balls, while George Dockrell scored 33 from 47 balls.

For Nepal, Karan KC grabbed four wickets and Kishor Mahato took two. Gulshan Jha and Sandeep Lamichhane both grabbed one wicket.

Nepal achieved 268 runs after losing the toss and batting first, despite losing 9 wickets in the stipulated 50 overs.

Gulshan Jha scored an undefeated 57-run half-century for Nepal in 42 balls, including four fours and three sixes.

Arjun Saud scored 48 runs from 84 balls, including three fours and two sixes. Kushal Malla scored 44 runs off 38 balls, including five fours and two sixes.

Sandeep Lamichhane and Gulshan Jha shared an 80-run partnership for the eighth wicket. This is Nepal’s greatest ODI partnership for number eight.

On Sunday, Dipendra Airee and Sandeep combined for 79 runs for the ninth wicket against UAE.

Sandeep scored 32 runs in 30 balls, hitting three fours and one six. Bhim Sarki scored 20 runs and captain Rohit Paudel scored 29 runs off 35 balls.

For Ireland, Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy and Craig Young took 2/2 each and Andy McBrine, Kurtis Kampfer and Gareth Delany took 1/1 each.

With the win, Ireland secured the seventh place in the World Cup qualifiers. Defeated Nepal has secured eighth place in the competition.