Nepal nearly pulled off a remarkable comeback in Dubai, coming close to defending their first innings 113 only for Amir Hayat and Imran Haider to guide the hosts home.
In the first game of the three-match ODI series, UAE held their nerve in a see-sawing run chase that saw them collapse to 73/7.
UAE would have been confident going into the second innings of the game having bundled the tourists out for a paltry 113. The innings never really got going for Nepal, losing wickets at regular intervals and with just four of their batsmen passing five.
After Mohammed Naveed dismissed Nepalese openers Gyanendra Malla and birthday boy Binod Bhandari for nought and five respectively, Nepal’s skipper, Paras Khadka and Sompal Kami attempted to rebuild the innings.
They took their team up to 44/2 before a loose hook shot from the captain found Amir Hayat in the deep. Dipendra Airee was run out five balls later before Aarif Sheikh joined Kami to steady the ship.
After Kami fell lbw to Imran Haider with the score on 71/4, Nepal suffered somewhat of a collapse. Four overs later, thanks largely to the efforts of Amir Hayat (3/19) they found themselves 81/8 and in real danger of not even reaching three figures.
A patient 15 from Lamichhane supported Sheikh (25) to help take their team past 100. Ultimately, neither survived long though as they were bowled out for 113. The hosts were overwhelming favourites.
Nepal knew they needed early wickets and they did just that. Ashfaq Ahmed and Chirag Suri, UAE’s openers, were both gone within the first five overs. At 12/2, Nepal had a sniff.
Despite Ghulam Shabber’s (30) best efforts, a chaotic ten over period ensued after Karan bowled Shaiman Anwar to leave UAE 35/3. Wickets fell at an alarming regularity for UAE as they soon found themselves 73/7, 41 runs away from the target set by Nepal.
Lamichhane, Nepal’s teenage leg-spinning sensation was responsible for some of the damage, first bowling Fahad Nawaz with a beautiful delivery that spun sharply to take the batsman’s off-stump then luring Shabber into an ill-judged sweep shot that went straight into the hands of Airee on the leg-side.
Hayat and Haider, two of the UAE’s troublemakers with the ball, then dug in knowing that time – the required run rate was under two runs per over – wasn’t an issue.
As the overs ticked by and the pair steadily accumulated runs, Nepal became evermore nervous. However, Lamichhane, Nepal’s most dangerous threat with the ball still had three overs to bowl in his spell that the UAE duo had to negotiate.
Hayat and Haider held their nerve and helped take their country to a memorable win in a thrillingly close contest in Dubai. The second game of the series takes place tomorrow.
