Nepal defeated Canada by four wickets in their second one-day international match at the TU Cricket Ground on Saturday and clinched the three-match bilateral series.

Hosts Nepal had defeated Canada by seven runs in the first ODI on Thursday.

Needing 286 for victory, Nepal completed the chase in 45.1 overs losing six wickets. In doing so, Nepal recorded joint-highest ODI chase in their cricket history. Previously, Nepal had successfully chased down a 286-run target during the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 (2019-2023) against Namibia in February 2023, also at home ground.

Opener Anil Sah slammed the fastest ODI half-century for Nepal, eclipsing the previous record of fastest fifty by Aasif Sheikh (21-ball 53) against Papua New Guinea at home in March last year, also during the League 2.

Sah shared an opening stand of 55-runs with Sheikh (10) to give Nepal a solid start, before creating the record off 19 balls with a stylish six against Ishwarjot Sohi in 6.2 overs. Sah cracked seven fours and three sixes. It was also his first ODI fifty.

Sah was dismissed a ball later when Sohi trapped him leg in front.

Captain Rohit Paudel and Dev Khanal then put on a 150-run stand for the third wicket to take Nepal to a comfortable 214-2. The partnership is Nepal’s highest for the third wicket in ODIs, breaking the record of 133 between Kushal Bhurtel and Paudel himself. The record had also come during Nepal's highest ODI chase against Namibia.

Khanal—who captained Nepal U-19 team to the Cricket World Cup in South Africa—departed, caught and bowled by Harsh Thaker, after scoring 76 runs from 81 balls—his highest individual ODI score. Khanal smashed seven boundaries and two maximums.

Bhim Sharki added 23 runs from 21 balls before Paudel fell to Canada captain Saad Bin Zafar in the 40.2 overs hitting 87 runs from 101 balls. He hit eight fours and four sixes.

Pawan Sarraf then played a quick knock of eight-ball 14 before Kushal Malla (9 not out) and Sompal Kami (9 not out) took Nepal to 287-6.

Paudel, who had taken 4-22 in the first ODI, was named player-of-the-match for a second game in a row.

Thaker and Shoi took two wickets each while Zafar and ODI debutant Dilpreet Bajwa pocketed one wicket apiece.

Earlier, electing to bat first, Canada posted 285-9 riding on an opening 94-run stand from Aaron Johnson and Navneet Dhaliwal.

Aakash Chand—whose five-wicket haul had given Nepal a famous one-wicket victory over Afghanistan during the U-19 Cricket World—took a wicket in his ODI debut, removing Dhaliwal for 46 in the 18.2 overs. It denied Dhaliwal, who made his ODI debut on Thursday, his first ODI fifty.

Johnson reached his fifty off 56 balls before wicket keeper Sheikh ran him out on 65 runs in the 22.2 overs. His half-century featured 10 fours and two sixes.

Pragat Singh (38 runs off 38 balls) and Nicholas Kriton (20 runs off 29 balls) then steered Canada to a commanding 179-2 with a 53-run stand for the third wicket.

But Paudel brought Nepal back into the game, getting rid of both Singh and Kirton in the space of four balls in the 32nd over.

It started a collapse for Canada as the tourists lost Thaker (3), Bajwa (19), Zafar (1), Shahid Ahmadzai (13) and were suddenly at 239-8 after 45 overs.

Shreyas Movva (40 runs off 42 balls) and Uday Bhagwan (20 runs off 15 balls) then added a crucial 46-run partnership for the ninth wicket to guide Canada to a good total.

Surya Tamang, who played his first ODI on Thursday, took his first ODI wicket.

Malla took two wickets, while Rijan Dhakal, Sarraf also picked one wicket each.