Nepal bowed out of the ICC World Cup Qualifier with a defeat going down to Ireland by two wickets in the seventh place playoff match at the Takashinga Sports Club in Harare on Tuesday.

Sent into bat first, Nepal posted a challenging total of 268-9 and seemed to be close to defeating the Test playing opponents for the first time. But the Irish team scored 269-8 with four balls to spare, pouring cold water on Nepal’s ambition.

The outcome meant Nepal finished eighth in the 10-team Qualifier that sends the top two teams into the World Cup. Nepal, however, were already out of the race of World Cup after they had finished fourth in the group stage as only top three teams of both groups would be eligible to fight for top two spots.

All-rounder Gulshan Jha, who came to bat at number nine, scored the highest for Nepal with an unbeaten 42-ball 57 that included four hits to the fences and three sixes. He also shared an 80-run stand for the eighth wicket with Sandeep Lamichhane, who made a remarkable contribution of 30-ball 32. Lamichhane was caught and bowled by Mark Adair.

Opener Arjun Saud scored 48 runs off 84, the second best score for Nepal. Though Nepal lost Kushal Bhurtel (eight runs) and Gyanendra Malla (7 runs) cheaply with 44-2, Saud shared a 50-run stand for the third wicket with captain Rohit Paudel.

Saud scored three hits to boundaries and two sixes before Gareth Delany trapped him lbw as fourth wicket. Captain Rohit Paudel contributed 29 runs off 35. Kushal Malla, who came in place of rested Aarif Sheikh, proved his worth scoring 44 runs off 35. He cracked five hits to boundaries and two sixes. Barry McCarthy made him caught by Harry Tector. Middle order batter Bhim Sharki also contributed in double digits scoring 20 runs off 31.

Ireland bowlers Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy and Craig Dockrell shared two wickets each. Adair conceded 47 runs in his nine-over spell with a maiden over. McCarthy gave away 63 runs in his 10-over bowling with a maiden over. Young conceded 36 runs in his seven-over spell.

Chasing the target, Ireland lost early wickets and were tottering at 60-3, but half centuries from middle order batters Harry Tector and Curtis Campher lifted the innings.

Tector hit 60 runs off 76 before Jha caught him in a delivery by Lamichhane with 134-5 on board. He cracked four hits to boundaries and two sixes. The player-of-the-match Campher made 59-ball 62 studded with eight hits to fences and a six. Medium pacer Karan KC led him to be caught by Bhim Sharki with 218-6 in the 41st over.

George Dockrell (33 runs off 47), Mark Adair (18 runs off 17), openers Andy McBrine (17 off 19) and Paul Stirling (15 runs off 24) and Gareth Delany (not out 16 runs off 25) also made contributions with bat. But it was Barry McCarthy who hit a winning four to Jha in the second ball of the last over when Ireland required four runs from the remaining five deliveries.

Nepal’s only victory in their group stage game came against the United States, while they lost the other three matches against the hosts Zimbabwe, the West Indies and the Netherlands. They had defeated the United Arab Emirates in their seventh place playoff semi-final on Sunday.

KC was the pick of Nepal’s bowling, claiming four wickets in his 10-over spell. He conceded 58 runs and kept a maiden over. Kishore Mahato pocketed two wickets while Jha and Laimchhane picked one wicket each.