Nepal Vs UAE Highlights, ICC Cricket World Cup League Two: Zahid, Aryansh Star As Emiratis Seal 5-Wicket Win

Good morning and welcome everyone. Cricket action continues in the form of qualifiers for the ODI World Cup, and Nepal take on UAE in match 88. Watch this space for the build-up, toss, playing XIs and live updates.

Nepal: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Bhim Sharki, Rohit Paudel (c), Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Anil Sah, Nandan Yadav, Kushal Malla, Shahab Alam

United Arab Emirates: Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wk), Muhammad Shahdad, Rahul Chopra (c), Shoaib Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Harshit Kaushik, Haider Ali, Simranjeet Singh, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Mayank Rajesh Kumar, Zahid Ali, Muhammad Irfan

Nepal have won the toss and elected to bat first against UAE.

United Arab Emirates: Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wk), Shoaib Khan, Rahul Chopra (c), Muhammad Waseem, Harshit Kaushik, Dhruv Parashar, Zahid Ali, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Rohid Khan

Nepal: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Bhim Sharki, Rohit Paudel (c), Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi

The first ball will be bowled at 11am IST. The Nepal vs UAE, ICC Cricket World Cup League Two 2023-27 game will be live streamed on the FanCode app and website in India. It will not be telecast on any TV channel in the country. In Nepal, the match will be available on Kantipur Max TV.

A solid start from Nepal, with the openers – Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh – getting off the mark against Junaid Siddique. The batting side seems to be intent on rotating the strike regularly on what looks like a lovely wicket to bat on.

A fantastic start from Nepal, with Kushal and Aasif both timing the ball perfectly, getting two boundaries off Siddique. The Rhinos just need to be careful not to lose any wickets, as they have done in the past.

An early introduction of spin by UAE, with Haider Ali coming in. What a terrific delivery from the spinner, completely beating Bhurtel's defence and smashing the middle and off stumps. This is spin at its very best.

Bhim Sharki OUT! Rohit, after two deliveries that went outwards, bowled one that cut inside, and it beats Sharki's defence and hits him plumb on the pads. The umpire has no hestitation while lifting his finger. Rohit Paudel is the new batter.

The maidens and the dots had put Nepal under immense pressure, and Aasif relieved it a bit with a well-timed strike that raced away for four runs. Vital runs for Nepal with the first powerplay coming to an end.

Slight improvement from Nepal, with two boundaries in the last two overs giving them some relief. They need a few more of this though to reach the par score on this ground, which is around 270-280.

Since the end of the first powerplay, Nepal have put their heads down and rebuilt their innings. Despite the lack of boundaries in the last three overs, Paudel and Aasif have kept on rotating the strike, taking their partnership to 34 runs.

The very first delivery after the drinks break, and Junaid Siddique gets his first wicket. Aasif Sheikh, who was looking dangerous, tries to hit it big but only manages to hole it to Parashar. Nepal lose their third.

Aarif Sheikh, the new batter, has come out all guns blazing, hitting Siddique for back-to-back boundaries. Paudel, too, joined in, getting another four runs off Haider Ali. 21 runs in the last three overs for Nepal.

It has been slow going between Paudel and Aarif Sheikh, with Nepal yet to breach the 100-run mark within the innings half-way done. Harshit Kaushik has been good since coming on, giving just eight runs away in his three overs. Another wicket, and UAE will be firmly in the driver's seat.

The partnership between Paudel and Aarif is now worth 50 off 71 balls. UAE will be desperate to break this combination, with Nepal's run rate almost touching four-an-over. Haider Ali on to the attack for the Emiratis now.

A slight nudge for a single off Haider Ali, and Rohit Paudel reaches his 12th ODI half-century, and his third against UAE. It has been a captain's innings from him, but there's a long way to go, with Nepal still quite far off the par score.

UAE get the breakthrough, and Aarif Sheikh has to walk back to the pavilion. It was a slower one from Siddique. Aarif committed way too early, dragging the shot and getting an inside edge on to the stumps. He departs for 27, and it's time for the drinks break.

It's a slightly big over from Kaushik, against the run of play, with 10 runs coming off it despite not conceding any boundaries. UAE will know what Airee can do when it is at his best, and they will be desperate to nip this partnership before it gets a chance to bloom.

Both Airee and Paudel seem to have found their rhythm. The latter showcases it perfectly with an inventive scoop, with the ball flying over the keeper's head and off for a boundary. The run rate is almost four-and-half at the moment.

A direct hit from Parashan, and Dipendra Singh Airee has to go back. Was he slightly complacent while running between the wickets? Maybe, but the throw was terrific, smashing the middle stump. No doubt in the minds of the umpires.

Two wickets in this over for Siddique, as Gulshan Jha departs for a duck. It was angling away from the all-rounder, but he tried to play it nonetheless, and the outside edge is grabbed by the wicketkeeper. Nepal's middle-order collapse continues.

This is the seventh over without a boundary for Nepal, and the hopes of crossing 250 looks dimmer. However, Paudel is inching closer towards a well-deserved century. He has played a captain's knock today, single-handedly anchoring Nepal's innings while wickets tumbled at the other end.

A superb knock from Paudel, who reaches his century off 126 balls. This is his second ODI ton, and the first against UAE.

However, UAE bowlers were superb in the last 10 overs, and Zaid Ali gets his first ODI wicket, dismissing Sompal Kami. Or was it a hit-wicket? UAE won't mind, as Nepal go seven down.

After a huge six of Zahid Ali, Paudel's knock comes to an end he edges the very next ball to the wicketkeeper. Nepal's innings looked done and dusted at that point, but Karan KC added some vital runs in the final over, hitting a six and a four before being dismissed by Zahid.

The medium pacer dismisses Rajbanshi in the next and final ball of the innings, which means that Nepal are all out for 233.

UAE's openers Alishan Sharafu and Aryansh Sharma take the crease as the 234-run chase begins. The formers gets off the mark right away with a beautiful drive off Karan KC that runs away for four.

Sharafu looks good out there, ending the over with another boundary after finding the gap. A solid start from the Emiratis.

UAE are utilising their home familiarity to full effect, with Sharafu showing terrific footwork and slogging Kami for a maximum. The aggressive batting continues, with two more fours and another six off this over – 22 runs from it. The Emiratis are running away with the chase.

Nepal needed a wicket desperately, and Karan KC delivers just that, sending the dangerous Sharafu back. It was a half-hearted shot from the batter, connecting with the toe end of the bat, and it's a simple catch by Paudel at mid-off.

Shoaib Khan's miserable stay comes to an end, with the batter departing for a 11-ball duck. It was a flighted delivery from Lamichhane, and Khan fell for the bait. However, his shot lacked any kind of power, going straight to Kami. Rahul Chopra, the skipper, is the new batter.

Since the departure of Sharafu, the UAE innings has seen a bit of a brake in the scoreboard. Aryan has since decided that he will be the one taking risks, hitting two boundaries and one six in the last three overs. Chopra, too, welcomes Aarif Sheikh with a boundary. The required rate is just over four-an-over at the moment.

After a couple of tight overs from Aarif and Rajbanshi, Chopra dispatches the latter for a boundary, and it's 100-plus for UAE. The required run rate is still a touch over four-an-over, with 130 needed from 192 balls.

Aryansh smashes a boundary off Aarif and then immediately rotates the strike, reaching his half-century from 55 balls. It has been a calm and calculated innings from him, especially after Sharifu's dismissal.

Chopra, who was just beginning to open up, has to retire hurt after hitting a boundary off Airee. Muhammad Waseem replaces the skipper, but it has been a tight couple of overs for Nepal, conceding just five runs. The required rate is just below four-an-over.

With just three runs coming in the last two overs, the pressure was building up, but Aryans steps up and sends a loose delivery from Rajbanshi over the ropes for a maximum. Eight runs comes off this over, and UAE need just 92 more to seal the win.

Waseem, after a stumbling start, has finally freed up his arms, dispatching Airee for huge six before getting a boundary off Rajbanshi. Aryansh gets another four off Bhurtel to keep the required run rate below four, and UAE need 70 to win over 120 balls.

United Arab Emirates need 40 runs in 96 balls at 2.5 rpo and this should be a walk in the park for the hosts. Nepal will be going through the motions now and the Rhinos will need a miracle if they are win it from this position.

Oh Aryansh, what have you done!! Just two runs away from a well-deserved century, and he holes it back to Lamichhane for a simple caught and bowled.

With Waseem run out just a few balls below, Nepal have two new batters on the pitch – Parashar and Kaushik. The latter breaks free with a boundary off Bhurtel. A couple of tight overs later, UAE need 26 more to win.

Kaushik gone! Airee gets his first wicket of the night, baiting Kaushik to come out and play only to find the hands of Gulsan Jha. UAE, just like that, lose three wickets in quick succession. An unlikely comeback for the Rhinos, or is it too little too late?

Nepal's late flurry of wickets proves to be of little importance, with Zahid Ali – tonight's hero with the ball – getting seven runs off Rajbanshi to reach the target of 234 with 39 balls to spare.