West Indies Beat Nepal in World Cup Qualifiers
Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran put on a sensational batting display, each scoring a century, to lead the West Indies to a resounding 101-run victory over Nepal in a thrilling encounter at the World Cup Qualifier in Harare on Thursday. The West Indies, two-time champions of the tournament, were off to a shaky start, losing early wickets, but Hope and Pooran’s outstanding partnership turned the game around for their team. Their extraordinary stand of 216 runs for the fourth wicket propelled the West Indies to a formidable total of 339-7.
The West Indies found themselves in trouble early on as Kyle Mayers departed for just one run, followed by Johnson Charles being dismissed without scoring, leaving them reeling at 9-2. Opener Brandon King tried to stabilize the innings with a composed knock of 32 runs before being bowled by leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane. The West Indies were clearly under pressure at this point, as Hope acknowledged, “We were put on the back foot there.” However, their fortunes took a dramatic turn when Hope and Pooran joined forces in the 16th over.
Hope credited their success to absorbing the pressure and then applying it back to the opposition in the latter stages of the innings. He expressed gratitude to Pooran for making his job easier and emphasized their aim to take the game as deep as possible to give their team the best chance of victory. Nepal’s fielders, meanwhile, would be left to rue a crucial dropped catch off Pooran’s bat early in his innings. Wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh put down an edge off left-arm spinner Lalit Rajbanshi when Pooran was on just three runs, a missed opportunity that proved costly for Nepal.
While Hope played a more measured innings, Pooran took charge as the aggressor, ensuring a swift run rate for the West Indies. Both batsmen reached their centuries in the 40th over, with Hope completing his 15th ODI hundred off 107 balls, and Pooran following suit shortly after, reaching his second one-day century off just 81 deliveries, four years after his first. Pooran’s innings was eventually curtailed by a remarkable catch by Dipendra Singh Airee off his own bowling, ending his knock at an impressive 115 runs. Rovman Powell and Jason Holder made valuable contributions in the later stages, propelling the West Indies to a daunting total.
In their chase, Nepal got off to a disastrous start as Alzarri Joseph uprooted Kushal Bhurtel’s off stump in just the second over. Bhim Sharki soon followed, caught behind off Holder’s bowling while attempting an audacious scoop shot. Despite several Nepali batsmen making promising starts, only Aarif Sheikh managed to pass the fifty-run mark, reaching 63 before falling victim to a brilliant catch by Pooran in the deep. Eventually, Nepal was bowled out for 238, falling short of the target by 101 runs.
Holder was the standout bowler for the West Indies, claiming three wickets for just 34 runs, while Joseph, Keemo Paul, and Akeal Hosein all picked up two wickets each. The West Indies’ comprehensive victory propelled them to the top of Group A, surpassing tournament hosts Zimbabwe on net run rate. The two teams will face off in their next match on Saturday, which promises to be an intriguing clash.
In the other match of the day, the Netherlands bounced back from their opening loss to Zimbabwe by handing the United States their third consecutive defeat. Shayan Jahangir top-scored with 71 runs as the USA struggled to reach a competitive total of 211-8. However, Dutch captain Scott Edwards played a captain’s innings, remaining unbeaten on 67, and with support from Teja Nidamanuru’s steady 58, he guided his team to a comfortable five-wicket victory.
With this result, the USA’s chances of progressing in the tournament were extinguished, while the Netherlands and Nepal are set to lock horns in a crucial encounter on Saturday, with the outcome likely to determine which team advances to the Super Six stage.
The World Cup Qualifiers continue on Friday, with surprise Group B leaders Oman aiming for their third successive win against Sri Lanka in Bulawayo, while Scotland takes on the United Arab Emirates in what promises to be an exciting battle between two competitive sides.
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