A hobbling Khuzaima Tanveer fell just short of dragging UAE to a much-needed win in Cricket World Cup League 2 in Kathmandu.
The fast bowler was forced off the field in just the second over of his opening spell, in his third appearance for the national team in one-day international cricket.
In his absence, Nepal racked up 289-7 in their 50 overs, thanks largely to a fine 100 by Dipendra Singh Airee from 94 deliveries. It was the Nepal vice-captain’s third score in a row in excess of 60 in this tri-series so far.
Rain early in the run chase meant the UAE required a revised target of 255 from 38 overs, and they were well positioned on 146-2 after 24 overs.
Their progress stalled as they lost four wickets for 22 runs in the next six overs, including top-scorer Mohammed Shahdad, and they appeared out of it at that stage.
Khuzaima then limped to the wicket and blazed 49 in 26 balls, including five sixes, to breathe life into the chase.
The national team were left needing 15 off the last over with Khuzaima on strike and Akshdeep Nath well set at the other end.
Khuzaima drilled the first ball for four, before holing out to Airee on the boundary rope off the next.
Junaid Siddique was run out as the batters attempted a bye to the wicketkeeper off the next, but Nath hit the ball for four.
It left the UAE needing seven off two, but Nandan Yadav sent down two dot balls to win it for the hosts in the latest thrilling finish between these two sides.
“Relief is always there when you get two points and this was such a tight game,” Rohit Paudel, the Nepal captain, said.
“When they were batting well that was the moment we needed to calm the pressure. Whatever plans we made, we didn’t execute it, but we can’t take credit away from Khuzaima. He was hitting boundaries and he batted really well.”
Defeat leaves the UAE firmly rooted to the foot of the CWCL2 table, with one match left in the current tri-series, against Oman on Sunday.
“It was a very good game but tough luck for us,” Muhammad Waseem, the UAE captain, said.
“I think we gave away 20 or 25 runs extra as a bowling team and that cost us the game. After that we made a good start with the bat but it cost us when we lost two or three quick wickets.
“We were going well when Shahdad [who made 65] and Harpreet [Bhatia] were batting together, but losing wickets at the wrong time was the turning point for us.”
