Nepal national men’s cricket team set a lowly 133-run target against Namibia after their batting lineup crumbled in the first match of a tri-series under the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 on Thursday. It is the seventh lowest score for Nepal in one-day international and the lowest on home ground.

Put to bat first after losing the toss, the Rhinos had a poor start after losing four batters at just 21 runs on the board.

Opener Kushal Bhurtel was out for a golden duck in the first ball of the match being played at TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. Anil Sah, who came third to bat, was sent back to the pavilion for just eight runs at 2.1 overs while Aasif Sheikh was caught by Johannes Jonathan Smit off a delivery by Jack Thomas Brassell at four runs in the next over.

The hosts were 21-4 after skipper Rohit Paudel was bowled out by Jack Brassell in 9.3 overs for one run. Kushal Malla was then out for 15 runs and Sompal Kami for two runs. Bhim Sharki, who was the only stand-out batter, tried to steady the innings for Nepal, scoring 44 off 86 with two fours and a six. Sharki lost his wicket to Gerhard Erasmus at 27.4 overs.

Gulsan Jha (21), Pawan Sarraf (12) and Karan KC (16) took Nepal to 132-10 in 41.1 overs.

Erasmus completed a five-wicket haul for the visitors as Ruben Trumpelmann and Brassell claimed two Nepali scalps each.

The first of the 24 tri-series that form a part of the qualification process for the 2027 Cricket World Cup kicked off in Kathmandu on Thursday. The opening tri-series being played in Kathmandu also features the Netherlands.

League 2 also consists of Canada, Oman, Scotland, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. The competition has been extended to eight teams from the previous inaugural seven-team League 2 that ran from 2019 to 2023.

Each tri-series will consist of six matches and the competition will have a total of 144 one-day internationals throughout the League 2 cycle. Each nation will host three tri-series and play further six series away from home for a total of 36 matches.

The top four teams from the League 2 will automatically progress to the 2027 Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

The bottom four teams can still make it to the World Cup Qualifier but will have to compete in the Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff which will also include the top four teams from the Cricket World Cup Challenge League. The top four teams in the playoff will advance to the World Cup Qualifier. Teams failing to secure automatic qualification to the World Cup based on the ICC ODI rankings will also join the Qualifier.

Nepal, Namibia, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, League 2 champions Scotland and Oman are returning to the League 2 after featuring in the last editions, while the Netherlands and Canada are the new entrants.

Scotland were expected to be promoted to the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League but after the International Cricket Council said there will not be a second edition of the Super League, the Scots remained in the competition. The Netherlands joined the fray after having previously played in the 2020-2023 Super League. Canada were promoted to the League 2 after they finished above Jersey and Papua New Guinea in the last edition’s Qualifier-playoff.

Papua New Guinea, who finished at the bottom of the 2019-2023 League 2, were relegated to the Challenge League.