This remarkable victory follows Zimbabwe’s opening win against Nepal in Group A, firmly placing them in a favorable position in the race for a spot in the Super Six. Meanwhile, Nepal bounced back from their initial loss to secure their first win of the campaign, defeating the USA by six wickets.
Bhim Sharki emerged as the standout performer for Nepal, scoring an unbeaten 77 as they comfortably chased down 211 against the USA, who now find themselves with two losses in two matches.
Zimbabwe once again showcased their batting prowess by successfully chasing down a formidable target. Just two days after their remarkable chase against Nepal, where they surpassed a target of 291, Zimbabwe found themselves facing an even bigger challenge against the Netherlands.
However, Raza led the charge and guided his team to victory with considerable ease, reaching 319 for four with a remarkable 55 balls remaining. Raza’s century came off a mere 54 balls, making it the fastest century ever scored by a Zimbabwean in ODI cricket.
Raza’s innings was a spectacular display of power-hitting, as he smashed eight sixes while building on the solid foundation laid by skipper Craig Ervine (50) and Sean Williams (91). The Netherlands had a promising start to their tournament, posting a competitive total of 315 for six, largely thanks to impressive innings from Vikramjit Singh (88) and Scott Edwards (83).
Singh and Max O’Dowd (59) formed a formidable opening partnership of 120 runs before Raza dismissed O’Dowd and later accounted for Wesley Barresi as well. The Netherlands’ batting effort continued to flourish with a 96-run partnership between Singh and Edwards.
However, while chasing Raza once again stepped up, breaking the partnership and ultimately claiming four wickets for 55 runs. Richard Ngarava (2/40) also made valuable contributions with the ball, including the crucial dismissal of the Dutch skipper. Nevertheless, Saqib Zulfiqur’s unbeaten 34 off 31 balls ensured the Netherlands went into the break with a positive mindset.
Nepal Gets Better Of USA
Meanwhile, Nepal, having experienced a similar fate to the Netherlands against Zimbabwe, were determined to secure a victory against the USA. They achieved this goal convincingly, winning by six wickets.
Karan KC played a pivotal role for Nepal with the ball, wreaking havoc on the American batting lineup and restricting them to a modest total of 207. In response, Bhim Sharki anchored the innings and carried Nepal to victory with seven overs to spare.
Nepal’s decision to bowl first paid off early on as Karan showcased sensational bowling skills, claiming four wickets within the first 10 overs and reducing the USA to a precarious 18 for four.
While Sushant Modani (42) and Gajanand Singh (26) attempted to rebuild the innings with a partnership of 47 runs, the latter was dismissed by Dipendra Singh Airee, who induced an edge to the slip.
At this juncture, wicketkeeper Shayan Jahangir counter-attacked brilliantly, scoring an unbeaten century from just 79 balls as wickets continued to fall at the other end. Gulsan Jha (3/52) played his part by wrapping up the American tail, leaving Nepal with a target of 208, despite Jahangir’s remarkable innings.
Chasing the total, Nepal faced an early setback with the dismissal of Aasif Sheikh for 12. However, the target never seemed insurmountable, as Kushal Burtel (39) and Bhim Sharki combined for a solid 49-run partnership for the second wicket.
Although skipper Rohit Paudel and Kushal Malla made valuable contributions before departing, Dipendra Singh Airee joined forces with Sharki to ensure Nepal avoided any potential collapse. The duo added an unbeaten 74 runs, guiding Nepal to a comfortable victory.
With both Zimbabwe and Nepal displaying outstanding performances in their respective matches, Group A promises to be a tightly contested battle as the teams vie for a spot in the Super Six stage of the ICC ODI World Cup Qualifier.