Stuart Law came to Nepal at a crucial moment. The Rhinos were at the bottom of the table in the ICC CWC League 2, a position that could put their ODI status at risk. However, his opponents were not easy to beat.

Nepal were facing two of the top teams in the League 2 points table—the Netherlands and Scotland—that too in the Scottish conditions. While the weather was cold for the Rhinos who travelled from Kathmandu’s heat, the pitches were grassy and bouncy, unlike the flat ones back home.

By the time the League 2 games began in Forthill, Dundee, on June 2, Law and his squad had spent over a week playing cricket in the United Kingdom (UK)—in England and Wales—and getting used to the conditions.

As a result, Nepal registered a win over the hosts in the opening game of the League 2 tri-series, thanks to pacer Karan KC coming to the rescue by scoring 65 off 41 (not out). Further, Nepal, who were returning to the 50-over internationals after about seven months, managed to chase 297 runs, their highest successful chase in ODIs, to win the game with one wicket and one ball remaining.

Law, who was welcomed by the players with that dramatic win, Nepal’s usual way, was handed a second win on June 4 as Aarif Sheikh’s 78 off 99 helped chase 226 against the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, the hosts denied Nepal to make another record in Dundee on June 8. Scotland asked Nepal to chase 324 runs in 300 deliveries, but the visitors fell short of two runs to register their highest chase in ODIs, surpassing the one on June 2.

But the Rhinos did not deny the Dutch to bounce back in their second encounter of the tri-series on June 10. Nepal won by 16 runs defending 237 to end the tournament on a high.

Nepal had entered the tri-series, 13th out of 24, with six points from two wins and two N/Rs in 12 games, i.e. three tri-series. They were 20 points behind the Dutch and 14 points behind the Scottish team.

Earning six points from the fourth tri-series, the Rhinos managed to reduce the gap to 16 and 12 points against the Dutch and Scots, respectively.

Moreover, the Netherlands and Scotland, who are second and third in the League 2 table with 28 and 24 points, respectively, have played eight and four games more than Nepal. The USA are at the top with 28 points from 20 games.

The three wins in Dundee took Nepal to a position from which their fight to finish as the Top 4 teams became far easier than it was before the beginning of the tri-series.

Oman, Canada and Namibia, placed fourth, fifth and sixth in the points table, are 12, 8 and 2 points ahead of Nepal, respectively. All three have played four more games than Nepal.

Likewise, Nepal also got a new ODI player during the event. Nandan Yadav was the 42nd player to don the ODI cap with his debut against the Dutch side on June 10. Yadav scored 10 off 12 with the bat and bagged three wickets on his debut.

Focus back on T20Is

After the League 2 matches in Dundee, the trio was set for a double round format tri-series in Glasgow, this time in the shortest format. Yet, with a support like that of home, the Rhinos were motivated with their 12th man by their side, be it in Dundee or Glasgow.

“The way we played the ODI series, I am very happy with the group,” Nepal’s skipper Rohit Paudel said after the loss to Scotland by 34 runs in the final match of the T20I on Friday. “In T20, we could have done better, especially today.”

The teams prioritised the T20I tri-series as they all had World Cup qualifiers on their doorsteps.

The Netherlands are hosting Scotland, Jersey, Guernsey and Italy for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Region Final qualifiers from July 5.

Nepal, on the other hand, will visit Oman for the T20 World Cup qualifiers in October alongside seven other teams from the Asia-Pacific region.

But before heading to Oman, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has planned several preparations to ensure Nepal qualify for the consecutive editions of the T20 World Cup.

Law, in his first press conference in April, had stressed the focus would lie more on qualifying for the T20 World Cup. He also had three new debutants in T20Is—Kiran Thagunna, Rupesh Singh and Bhim Sharki—in Glasgow, suggesting he wanted to build up a better squad for the qualifier in October. KC becoming the second Nepali to cross 100 T20I wickets was another historic milestone during the UK tour.

One major preparation will be in September when Nepal will host the West Indies in Sharjah, UAE, for a three-match T20I series. But before that, they are expected to tour Sri Lanka, India and Australia.

“The UK tour has been beneficial,” Law told the Post after the win over Scotland on Tuesday. “But the upcoming series with the West Indies would be more important.”

Law, recalling the three Super Overs with the Dutch, the first-ever in T20Is, also stressed that he did not want Nepal to give heart attacks to the fans through cricket and preferred easy wins.

“They are two-time world champions in the format. Big strong boys,” he said, adding, “I have coached them [in 2018-19]…I look forward to seeing the boys who are there.”

According to CAN’s calendar for 2025, the men’s team will have a preparation camp in Sri Lanka in July. They will then have pocket camps in India next month, before heading to Australia for further preparations ahead of the historic bilateral series with the Caribbean side.