Nepal surge up CWCL 2 table after key victory against Scotland

Nepal gain important momentum in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 standings as they climbed to fifth place with a crucial victory against Scotland. In Kirtipur, Nepal defeated the table leaders by 6 wickets to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the 2027 Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 serves as a key qualification pathway for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027. The top four teams from League 2 will progress to the 2027 Cricket World Cup Qualifier, from where the top four sides will earn qualification for the main tournament set to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia next year.

Scotland won the toss and elected to bat first but were immediately put under pressure by the Nepal bowlers. Lalit Rajbanshi and Sandeep Lamichhane were the standout performers, combining for seven wickets between them.

Rajbanshi finished with impressive figures of 4/32, while Lamichhane picked up three wickets for 47 runs as Scotland were bowled out for 194.

Brandon McMullen top-scored with a blistering 73 off 44 balls, while Michael English (51) was the only other batter to cross the fifty-run mark.

Nepal began the chase aggressively, with Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh adding 58 runs in just 6.3 overs. Scotland briefly pulled things back by dismissing both openers within the span of five balls, but Ishan Pandey (55) and skipper Rohit Paudel stitched together a crucial 104-run partnership to take Nepal close to victory.

Mark Watt picked up two quick wickets late in the innings but was unable to change the outcome as Paudel’s unbeaten 74 guided Nepal to a six-wicket victory.

Following their impressive run in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, Nepal continued their strong form in the home tri-series involving the UAE and Oman. Nepal won three of their four matches in the series, giving themselves a major boost in the race for qualification for next year’s ODI World Cup.

In the ongoing series, Nepal began with a loss against Scotland but bounced back strongly with a dominant win over the USA. Their latest victory against Scotland made it two wins from three matches, with Nepal now set to face the USA once again on May 22.

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