Nepal made a disappointing start to the ICC World Cup Cricket League 2 triangular series on Tuesday, July 22, as Namibia beat them by eight wickets in Utrecht after bowling them out for 157.
JJ Smit was the difference. The Namibia bowler finished with 6 for 27 in 9.5 overs and was named player of the match after leading a disciplined attack that kept Nepal under pressure throughout the innings.
Nepal's batting never fully settled
Nepal were dismissed in 46.5 overs, with Rohit Paudel top-scoring with 51 off 79 balls. Dipendra Singh Airee added 17 from 39 deliveries, while Kushal Bhurtel made 16. Other useful contributions came from Ishan Pandey, Aasif Sheikh, Gulshan Jha and Karan KC, but Nepal could not build one long partnership to push toward a more competitive total.
Namibia's bowling support around Smit also mattered. Bernard Scholtz helped keep the scoring in check, and the chase never asked Namibia to do much more than stay patient and avoid mistakes.
Namibia finish the job quickly
In reply, Namibia reached 160 for 2 in 37.4 overs to complete an eight-wicket win over the 158-run target. Michael van Lingen and Jan Frylinck provided the main scoring in the chase, while the result gave Namibia a boost in the table.
The win moved Namibia level on 24 points with fifth-placed Nepal and up to sixth, adding pressure on Nepal's path toward a top-four finish and direct qualification to the World Cup Qualifiers. It also matters for ODI status, with Nepal needing to stay inside the top six to retain it.
Nepal now turn quickly to their next test. On Thursday, July 23, they face host Netherlands in what already looks like an important response game after the loss to Namibia in Utrecht.
