Nepal will defend 264 runs against Oman in the ongoing ICC CWC League-2 tri-series in Al Amerat, Oman, thanks to the late heroics of Karan KC.
Nepal were 213/6 in 45.3 overs after the departure of Dipendra Singh Airee (22 off 17) when KC entered the crease.
Partnering with Nandan Yadav, who came in at nine after the wicket of Sundeep Jora (10 off 12) in 46.1 overs, KC took Nepal to 263/8.
KC smashed three consecutive sixes in the 49th over, which ended with a four from Yadav.
By the end of the first innings, KC, with four sixes and a four, got run out in the final ball after contributing 40 off 16. Yadav stood not out at 7 off 9.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Nepal did not have a proper start. The only positive was two good partnerships.
Arjun Kumal and Ishan Pandey, who joined after the departure of Aasif Sheikh (4 off 15), built a 64-run partnership for the second wicket. Pandey departed in the 21 st over after scoring 37 off 55 and was followed by Kumal (40 off 59) in the 22 nd . Nepal were then 83/3.
Rohit Kumar Paudel and Basir Ahamad were the fresh batters on the crease. The duo took Nepal to 169/4 before Ahamad departed as the fourth wicket in 39.1 overs. Paudel and Ahamad built a 86-run partnership.
Paudel, meanwhile, stayed a bit longer. He departed in 42.3 overs, after completing his fifty. A centurion in the previous match against Canada on Sunday, Paudel scored 61 off 67 against Oman.
Shakeel Ahmed, Shah Faisal and Karan Sonavale took two wickets each, while Hassnain Shah claimed one for Oman.
Nayak Paudel covers sports for The Kathmandu Post. He previously worked at the Post (2018–19) and spent over five years at The Rising Nepal. His reporting spans crime, health, education, and social issues.
