Nepal defeated Scotland on May 18 at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2. Leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane set a new record as the fastest bowler to take 150 wickets in ODIs, achieving this milestone in just 73 matches. With this victory, Nepal has risen from seventh to fifth place in the standings, accumulating 22 points from 27 games, while Scotland remains at the top.
In Monday’s ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 match, Nepal overcame the top-ranked Scotland team. Both Nepal’s bowling and batting units performed excellently at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground. This win also served as redemption for Nepal, who had narrowly lost to Scotland by 2 runs just last Tuesday via the DLS method.
Despite struggling form, captain Rohit Paudel and Lalit Rajbanshi, who had been wicketless recently, played crucial roles in securing the win. Lalit took 4 wickets for 32 runs in 8 overs, helping to restrict Scotland to 194 runs. Notably, Lalit had only taken 2 wickets in his previous 9 ODI matches. Sandeep Lamichhane contributed 3 wickets, keeping Scotland under pressure. Scotland lost 3 wickets for 126 runs, then added 68 runs for the loss of four more wickets. Bowlers Sombul Kamii, Nandan Yadav, and Dipendra Singh Airee each took one wicket.
Nepal’s batting also stood out. Openers Kushal Bhurtel and Asif Sheikh forged a strong partnership, adding 58 runs in 6.4 overs for the first wicket. Kushal scored 28 runs off 27 balls, while Asif made 29 runs from 17 balls before being dismissed. Captain Rohit Paudel and Ishan Pande then built a match-winning partnership for the third wicket, reaching a century stand. Rohit remained unbeaten on 74 runs off 98 balls, while Ishan scored 55 runs from 61 balls before getting out. Vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee was dismissed cheaply for 2 runs, but Arif Sheikh supported Rohit with 8 runs off 23 balls.
Before this crucial victory against top-ranked Scotland, Nepal was positioned seventh in the table. The win elevated them two places to fifth with 22 points from 27 matches. Namibia sits sixth with 22 points from 28 games, Canada seventh with 21 points from 24 matches, and UAE at the bottom with 14 points from 24 games. Despite the loss, Scotland remains first with 38 points from 31 games, followed by the USA in second with 36 points from 26 matches. Oman is third with 31 points from 28 games, and the Netherlands fourth with 28 points after 24 matches.
Today, leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane took 2 wickets against Scotland, achieving the record for the fastest bowler to reach 150 wickets in ODI cricket. He reached this mark in 73 matches, surpassing Australia’s Mitchell Starc, who previously held the record after 77 matches. Sandeep also holds the record for the fastest to 100 ODI wickets, achieving that in just 42 games.
Sandeep credited this achievement to the support of his entire team, saying, “When I first stepped onto the TU International Cricket Ground, I had a dream to do well for my country. It’s been a great journey, and reaching this record shows that when you progress with a good heart and right attitude, everything aligns. Many people have helped me along the way, and I want to thank them all.”
In recent matches of the League 2 series, Sandeep has been in outstanding form, taking 16 wickets in the last 7 games alone. He currently ranks third among the top wicket-takers in the League 2, with 39 wickets from 21 matches. Oman’s Shakil Ahmed leads with 49 wickets in 22 matches, followed by Namibia’s Bernard Scholtz with 45 wickets from 26 games.
