Nepal failed to materialise their Super Six ambition after they struggled with the bat and succumbed to a seven wicket defeat against the Netherlands in their last group stage match of the ICC World Cup Qualifier at the Takashinga Sports Club in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Saturday.

In the virtual final for passage into the next stage—the Super Six—Nepal were bowled out for 167 runs in 44.3 overs, their lowest total of the tournament, after they were invited to bat first. Chasing the target, the Dutch side made light work of Nepal scoring 168-3 in 27.1 overs on the back of 90 runs by opener Max O’Dowd.

The victory over Nepal assured the Netherlands at least a top-three finish, a mandatory requirement for passage into Super Six, with four points from three matches. Nepal, who secured their only victory over United States (US), finished fourth with two points after their last group game in the five-team group. Nepal had lost to hosts Zimbabwe by eight wickets and West Indies by 101 runs.

Nepal failed to cope up against the fast bowlers of the Dutch side and lost wickets in quick succession. None of the Nepali batters failed to reach the half century mark. Captain Rohit Paudel, who came to bat at number five, scored 33 runs off 55, the highest of the innings.

Opener Kushal Bhurtel and tailender Sandeep Lamichhane contributed 27 runs each, the joint second highest figures for Nepal. Opener Aasif Sheikh was out for a duck in the third over bowled by medium pacer Logan van Beek.

Bhurtel was the second player to be dismissed scoring 27 runs off 42 in the 15th over after pacer Vikramajit Singh had him caught by wicketkeeper Edwards. Aarif Sheikh was the third wicket to fall on six runs, again in delivery by Singh who had him caught by Van Beek.

Bhim Sharki was then dismissed on 22 runs off 56 as Nepal were tottering at 66-4. He was caught by Shariz Ahmad in left arm spinner Clayton Floyd’s delivery. Kushal Malla was the next wicket to fall on 12 runs in the 26th over after Aryan Dutt had him caught by Nidamanuru at long off.

The Netherlands got the prized wicket of captain Paudel in the 32nd over in Van Beek’s delivery. Paudel, who struck three hits to boundaries and a six, was caught at midwicket by Singh with 116-6 on board.

Dipendra Singh Airee (14 runs), Gulshan Jha (15 runs), Karan KC (1 run) were all out cheaply. Lamichhane, the last wicket to fall for Nepal, hit four fences in his 33-ball knock before Bas de Leede caught him at deep midwicket in Van Beek’s delivery.

Pacer Beek was the pick of the Netherlands bowling claiming four wickets. He conceded 24 runs in his 9.3-over bowling with a maiden over. De Leede and Singh pocketed two wickets each.

The Dutch team made a strong start to their run chase with openers O’Dowd and Virkamit Singh sharing an 86-run stand for the first wicket. O’ Dowd scored 90 runs off 75 while Singh, the first wicket to fall, contributed 30 runs off 43. He was trapped leg before by Lamichhane in the last delivery of the 13th over.

The player-of-the-match O’ Dowd smashed eight hits to fences and four sixes before he was bowled out by medium pacer Gulsan Jha as third wicket in the 27th over. Bas de Leede contributed unbeaten 41 runs off 39 that included four hits to the fences.

Weesley Barresi was dismissed as second wicket on three runs, caught by Dipendra Singh Airee off Lamichhane.

Lamichhane claimed two wickets in his 10-over spell conceding 60 runs. Jha, the other player to claim a wicket for Nepal, gave away 27 runs in his six-over spell.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe and West Indies were also guaranteed a place in Super Six from Group ‘A’. Hosts Zimbabwe, who beat West Indies by 35 runs in another match of the group, climbed on top of the standings with a maximum six points from three games. Netherlands and West Indies are second and third on four points each from three games and US, yet to open the scoring, are at the bottom of the table.

Only the top three teams from both groups will secure Super Six berth and the two finalists from the second stage will earn a ODI World Cup ticket from the 10-team Qualifier. The bottom two teams from each group will vie in the playoffs to determine seventh to tenth position.