Nepal have secured an automatic berth at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers after defeating the United Arab Emirates by nine runs (D/L method) in their final match of the triangular series of the World Cup League 2 played at the TU cricket ground on Thursday.

The United Arab Emirates posted a mammoth 311-run target for Nepal in the final and deciding match. Nepal were at 269 runs at the loss of six wickets in 44 overs after further play was not possible due to bad light.

Bhim Sharki was the top-scorer for Nepal at 67 runs as Aarif Sheikh made 52 runs. Kushal Bhurtel and Gulsan Jha made equal 50 runs.

Junaid Siddique of the UAE took three wickets as Aayan Afzal Khan sent two Nepali batsmen back to the pavilion.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first posting 310 runs in the designated 50 overs losing six wickets.

UAE batsman Asif Khan, who came in sixth in the 38th over, scored an unbeaten century in just 41 balls. He scored 101 runs in 42 deliveries with the help of 11 sixes and four boundaries to reach the milestone.

Vriitya Aravind, who came in third, stuck to the crease and held the UAE’s innings scoring 94 runs in 138 balls. The batsman hit two sixes and eight boundaries.

Likewise, skipper Muhammed Waseem scored an impressive 63 runs in 49 balls. Rohan Mustafa and Asif Khan scored 20 and 22 runs respectively for the UAE.

In response, Nepali bowlers struggled to take wickets at regular intervals which let the visitors amass a massive total.

Lalit Rajbanshi took the first wicket of opener Aryan Lakra (6 runs) in 2.5 overs.

Nepal had to wait until the 17th over to see another UAE batsman go as Sandeep Lamichhane trapped skipper Muhammed Waseem leg-before in 16.2 overs.

Chundangapoyil Rizwan (3 runs) was run out in 22.6 overs. Aayan Afzal Khan followed him in 26.1 overs after being caught by Gulshan Jha off Dipendra Singh Airee’s delivery.

Airee also bagged the wicket of Rohan Mustafa trapping him for leg-before in 37.3 overs.