Nepal Finishes WCL 2 Tri-Series in Scotland on a High with Victory Over Netherlands

Kathmandu: Nepal wrapped up its ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 campaign in Scotland with a commanding win over the Netherlands on June 10 at the Forthill Cricket Ground in Dundee.

Continuing their strong form under head coach Stuart Law, the Rhinos clinched their third win of the series, showcasing discipline, depth, and a growing sense of confidence on the field.

Nepal won the match by 16 runs, courtesy of a Man of the Match performance from Aarif Sheikh. Sheikh scored his career-best innings of 84 runs off 85 balls, helping Nepal post 236/9 in 50 overs. Bhim Sharki and captain Rohit Paudel also chipped in with 35 runs each.

In the second innings, the Netherlands started with 10 runs on the scoreboard — even without a ball bowled — due to penalty runs granted. The Dutch side had earlier appealed that Nepali batsman Basir Ahamad had damaged the pitch while running, resulting in the decision.

Despite that, Nepali bowlers stuck to their plans and didn’t allow Dutch batters to score freely.

Fast bowler Nandan Yadav, on his debut, claimed the first wicket by removing Max O’Dowd in the fourth over. He returned in the death overs to pick up two more wickets, finishing with impressive figures of 3-39 from 9 overs.

Other top and middle-order Dutch batters continued to struggle against spin, eventually falling to Nepal’s two frontline spinners — Sandeep Lamichhane and Lalit Rajbanshi. Both bowled economically and picked up crucial wickets. Lamichhane ended with 3-39, while Rajbanshi took 2-29.

Kushal Bhurtel also supported the spin attack well with his gripping and turning leg-spin, finishing his 10-over spell with figures of 1-34.

In the final over, with the Dutch side needing 19 runs to win, Karan KC was trusted with the ball — and he delivered, picking up the last wicket to seal the game.

An all-round performance from the batters and bowlers, complemented by ever-appreciable fielding, gave Nepal their third win of the series. This series has offered a promising glimpse into what the road ahead might look like in their campaign toward the 2027 World Cup.

Currently, Nepal has 12 points from four wins and two no-results in 16 games. They still have 20 more matches remaining in League 2 across five tri-series.

As for now, the team gears up to take on Scotland and the Netherlands in a triangular T20I series, starting on June 15. Nepal plays their first game on June 16 in Glasgow against the Netherlands.