FORTHILL — Scotland survived a nerve-wracking finish to defend 323 and secure a thrilling 3-run victory over Nepal in a high-scoring Cricket World Cup League 2 encounter at Forthill on Tuesday.
The hosts, buoyed by a century from Richie Berrington and a blistering 89 by George Munsey, posted a formidable 323/6 in their 50 overs. But Nepal, led by a heroic 137 from Dipendra Singh Airee, came agonizingly close before falling short at 320/9 in a match that went down to the final over.
Berrington, Munsey set the platform
Scotland's innings was built around a 153-run partnership between captain Berrington (102 off 109 balls) and Munsey, whose 89 came from just 71 deliveries with 8 fours and 4 sixes. "We knew the pitch was good for batting, so the plan was to lay a foundation and accelerate later," Berrington said post-match.
Key contributions came from:
- Brandon McMullen (42 off 39)
- Matthew Cross (31 off 28)
- Michael Leask's late cameo (22* off 12)
Nepal's bowling struggled for consistency, with only Sompal Kami (2/53) and Kushal Malla (1/42) maintaining economy rates under 6. Spinner Sandeep Lamichhane had an unusually expensive day, conceding 72 runs in his 10 overs.
Airee's heroics nearly steal the show
In reply, Nepal lost early wickets but Dipendra Singh Airee played what many are calling one of the great ODI innings by an Associate player. His 137 came off just 103 balls, featuring 12 fours and 6 sixes. "I just wanted to take it deep," Airee said afterward.
The chase gained serious momentum through:
- A 97-run 4th wicket stand between Airee and Rohit Paudel (46)
- A 78-run partnership with Kushal Malla (34)
- A dramatic 9th wicket stand of 42 with Karan KC (22*)
Scotland's fielding nearly cost them the match, dropping Airee twice - on 47 and 89. "Those drops could have been catastrophic, but credit to the boys for holding their nerve at the end," admitted Scotland coach Shane Burger.
The dramatic finale
With 12 needed off the final over, Safyaan Sharif held his nerve despite Karan KC smashing a six off the second ball. Three dot balls followed before Nepal scrambled two off the last delivery, finishing three runs short.
Key moments in the death overs:
- Chris Sole's 48th over - conceding just 4 runs
- Mark Watt's crucial 49th over (7 runs)
- Sharif's composed final over under extreme pressure
What this means for the table
The victory moves Scotland to 34 points from 24 matches in the Cricket World Cup League 2, strengthening their position in the top three. Nepal remain fifth with 22 points from 20 games.
Post-match reactions
Scotland captain Richie Berrington: "That was proper edge-of-the-seat stuff. Full credit to Nepal and especially Dipendra - that was one of the best innings I've seen live. But really proud of how we closed it out."
Nepal coach Monty Desai: "Heartbreaking to lose by such a small margin after that incredible chase. Dipendra showed why he's becoming one of the most dangerous middle-order batsmen in Associate cricket."
Player of the Match Richie Berrington: "The century was nice but the win is what matters. We'll take the points and work on our death bowling before the next game."
Looking ahead
Both teams have little time to recover, with Scotland facing Namibia on Thursday while Nepal take on the same opponents on Friday. The tight nature of this contest sets up an intriguing final week of matches in this tri-series.
Cricket statisticians noted several records from this thriller:
- Highest total successfully defended by Scotland in ODIs
- First instance of both teams scoring 300+ in a CWC League 2 match
- Dipendra Airee's 137 - the highest score by a Nepal batter against Scotland
As the Forthill crowd dispersed, the consensus was clear - this was one of the great Associate cricket matches, showcasing the growing quality and drama of the Cricket World Cup League 2 competition.