Khuzaima heroics not enough for UAE

By Cricketing Country | Posted Posted May 01, 2026

Nepal secured their seventh win in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 with a 6-run victory on DLS over UAE at the TU International Cricket Stadium. It was only Nepal’s third home win in this leg, while UAE slipped to their 17th defeat in the competition.

Nepal made bold changes at the top, resting regular openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh, and handing a debut to 20-year-old Arjun Kumal alongside the returning Binod Bhandari.

Batting first, Nepal posted 289 for 7. Binod Bhandari marked his ODI return after four years with 56 off 79 balls, hitting seven boundaries, and became the oldest player to score a fifty for Nepal in ODIs.

After his dismissal, Dipendra Singh Airee took charge with his second ODI hundred, scoring 100 off 94 balls with one six and 13 boundaries. Gulshan Jha added 44 off 38 balls, striking two sixes and four boundaries, as Nepal pushed past 280.

UAE began the chase briskly before rain interrupted play early. The target was revised to 255 in 38 overs.

Muhammad Shahzad top-scored with 65 off 72 balls, sharing a century stand with Harpreet Singh Bhatia, who made 41. However, wickets at regular intervals kept pulling UAE back. Sompal Kami dismissed Muhammad Waseem for the fifth time in ODIs.

Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, despite carrying an injury, mounted a late charge with 49 off 26 balls, including five sixes and two boundaries. Akshdeep Nath remained unbeaten on 36 off 32, but the effort fell short.

For Nepal, Sandeep Lamichhane led the attack with 3 for 36 from eight overs, including a maiden, and in the process became the first bowler to reach 100 wickets in League 2 history. Sompal Kami took 2 for 56, while Nandan Yadav picked up 2 for 62.

Nepal will next face Oman on Tuesday in their final match of the leg.