Cricket
Nepal beat Scotland by five wickets in World Cup League 2
Aarif Sheikh’s unbeaten 51 guides Rhinos to victory after early setbacks.Sports Bureau
Nepal clinched a five-wicket win over Scotland in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match at Dallas, US on Wednesday.
The Rhinos chased the 155-run target with 121 balls remaining.
Opting to bat first, Scotland faced pressure from Nepal’s disciplined bowling attack and were bowled out for 154 in 41.4 overs.
Mark Watt led Scotland with a quick 34 off 40 balls, including three sixes, though he received limited support from his teammates. Sandeep Lamichhane was exceptional for Nepal, claiming 3 for 45, with Karan KC, Gulsan Jha and Sompal Kami taking two wickets each.
Nepal’s chase was initially shaky, as Scotland reduced them to 63-4 in 15.2 overs.
However, Aarif Sheikh anchored the innings with a match-winning 51 not out off 42 balls, featuring eight boundaries. He was supported by Gulsan Jha, who contributed an unbeaten 25 as Nepal reached 157-5 in just 29.5 overs.