Nepal joined Afghanistan and Ireland, becoming the third team to qualify for the World T20 2014 in Bangladesh with a last-ball win against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi. It's the first time Nepal will be heading to a global event.
Nepal entered the final over needing 13 to win and Sharad Vesawkar swung a six down the ground followed by an inside-edged four through fine leg. Vesawkar was back on strike to face the final delivery with scores level and pierced a packed ring through extra cover to send Nepal through to Bangladesh with a five-wicket win.
Chasing 144, Nepal got off to a solid start, but Hong Kong kept chipping away every time it appeared Nepal was about to seize control. Tanwir Afzal bowled opener Subash Khakurel behind his legs for 16 and Sagar Pun made 22 off 19 before he was pinned on the crease by a full delivery by Haseeb Amjad.
Gyanendra Malla and Paras Khadka came together and added 33 for the third wicket before Malla heaved Aizaz Khan to deep midwicket for 30. Atkinson kept Nepal off balance with a series of bowling changes as dot balls kept piling up to bring the equation to 32 off 20 balls for Nepal to win.
Khadka only struck two boundaries in his 46 off 39 and cleverly seized on ones and twos to anchor the chase. He offered a chance to Jamie Atkinson behind the stumps on the last ball of the 18th, but Hong Kong's wicketkeeper-captain spilled it and in the process injured his right thumb before exiting the field for treatment. A front foot no-ball by left-arm spinner Nadeem Ahmed was slammed past the umpire for a boundary two balls into the 19th and it looked as though Hong Kong would crumble without their captain. However, Hong Kong erupted in the field when Khadka was run-out two balls later after changing his mind too late on a second run.
After sending Hong Kong in to bat, Nepal had bowled and fielded marvellously for the majority of the innings before a hiccup in the final two overs allowed Hong Kong to reach 143 for 8. Hong Kong had a handful of players cross 20, but none made it past 25. The dangerous Irfan Ahmed was the first of three wickets for seamer Jitendra Mukhiya, edging a short ball to Nepal captain Paras Khadka at first slip in the second over. Hong Kong captain Atkinson sliced Avinash Karn to point at the start of the fifth. The two bowlers shared five wickets between them.
UAE 117 for 8 (Khurram 32, Malik 4-17) beatNetherlands 107 for 9 (Aziz 3-21) by 10 runs:
UAE became the fourth team to seal their spot in the World Twenty20 2014, successfully defending 117 against Netherlands in Abu Dhabi. Netherlands will have another go at qualifying on Thursday, playing Scotland - who won the previous match between these teams in the tournament - j for one of the two remaining open spots.
UAE batted first and openers Mohammad Azam and Shaiman Anwar didn't appear to be troubled by the gentle pace offered by Mudassar Bukhari, but both contributed to their own demise with some clumsy running that resulted in a pair of run-outs. Azam tried to nudge Bukhari past Stephan Myburgh at point for a single, but Anwar turned him down and Azam was unable to get back in his crease after committing early. After being too cautious in rejecting Azam's call, Anwar was too aggressive going for a third run on a delivery hit toward the cover boundary and failed to make it before the throw from Micky Swart arrived over the stumps at the non-striker's end to make it 29 for 2 in the sixth.
Khurram Khan tried to counterattack and top scored with 32 off 24 balls, but either side of his dismissal, Swapnil Patil and Rohan Mustafa were caught in the covers off loose drives for 1 and 10 respectively, leaving UAE at 69 for 5 in the 12th.
Mohammad Shafiq and Asim Khurshid patiently added 43 for the sixth wicket but their attempt at a late surge was thwarted by Ahsan Malik, who took three wickets in the 19th. Malik's 4 for 17 meant he overtook Hong Kong's Munir Dar as the tournament's wicket-taker with 17.
The total of 117 initially looked well below par, but the Netherlands got off to a nervy start and never looked comfortable at any point in their chase. Stephan Myburgh took nine balls to get off the mark - he did by hitting a six over midwicket - then perished two balls later to Manjula Guruge in the same region. Swart returned the favour from UAE's poor running between the wickets in the first innings when he went for a suicidal run in the ring.
Netherlands never shed their cautious manner and UAE's bowlers pounced on the timid approach and stifled the scoring. Netherlands ended the Powerplay at 21 for 2, and two overs later Barresi sent a leading edge back to Nasir Aziz for 11.
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