Scotland Defeats Nepal by 2 Runs in League 2 Opener

Scotland defeated Nepal by two runs in a gripping ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 match on Tuesday at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, bolstering their bid for a top-four finish and World Cup qualification.

The contest, the opener of a triseries also featuring the United States, began at 9:30 a.m. local time. Scotland captain Richie Berrington won the toss and elected to bat first. Berrington and Michael Leask anchored the innings with substantial contributions, echoing their performances in recent encounters against Nepal. The Scottish total proved just enough to defend, as Nepal fell short in a tense chase despite a raucous home crowd urging them on.

Scotland entered with 34 points from 28 matches, placing second behind leaders United States with 36 points from 24 games. Nepal sat seventh among eight teams with 18 points from 24 matches. The top four advance directly to the World Cup Qualifiers, while lower finishers risk losing One Day International status. This series marked Nepal's final home assignment in the current League 2 cycle, where they have historically excelled, winning four of eight home games in 2024 and 10 of 12 in Kathmandu...