Harare [Zimbabwe], July 4 : Ireland edged past Nepal with a two-wicket victory in the battle for seventh place in the Cricket World Cup Qualifier at the Takashinga Cricket Club on Tuesday.
Chasing 269 for a win, Ireland's innings were led by Harry Tector with the bat. The 23-year-old acted as the focal point around whom the rest of the batting line-up functioned. Tector walked in at 23/2 with Ireland stuck in a peculiar condition after Andy McBrine and Andrew Balbirnie had fallen in quick succession.
Stirling followed a bit later, but Lorcan Tucker stuck around for Tector to build Ireland a strong base.
Just as the partnership seemed to be taking the game away from Nepal, Karan returned to dismiss Tucker, trapping him in front of the stumps for 24. Sandeep Lamichhane doubled the advantage when Tector was out, caught and walked back to the pavilion for a score of 60(76).
Curtis Campher stepped on the crease and resumed from where Tector had left off, and with George Dockrell on the other side, Ireland once again commenced their journey towards the target.
Nepal managed to break the stand. Kishore Mahato sent back Dockrell.
Gareth Delany and Mark Adair started the rebuild carefully, with a 10-run over off Dipendra Singh Airee's 48th over bringing Ireland to the cusp of a win. Karan, however, added a fourth wicket, dismissing Adair to leave Ireland eight down and needing five to win off the final over.
Barry McCarthy found the boundary off the second ball in the final over to close a tense game for Ireland.
Earlier, Craig Young struck twice early on for Ireland, dismissing the dangerous Kushal Bhurtel and Gyanendra Malla.
Arjun Saud and skipper Rohit Paudel rebuilt for Nepal with a half-century stand, but Curtis Campher brought an end to the captain's stay in the middle.
Saud soon fell to Gareth Delany, but Nepal had a resurrection act going on from Bhim Sarki and Kushal Malla.
Another half-century stand ensured Nepal's revival, but Ireland cut them off with three wickets in quick succession.
McCarthy and Ireland seemed to have gained a decisive edge in the game. However, Sandeep Lamichhane once again proved his worth with the bat while Gulsan Jha joined in on the final act with some big hits.
Jha knocked off his third ODI fifty, finding boundaries at regular intervals. Lamichhane hit three fours off Young in the 47th over and Jha followed it up with a six and a four next over.
Despite Adair's double-wicket over, a 13-run final over pushed Nepal to a formidable 268, leaving Ireland with a stiff run chase on their hands.
Brief Scores: Nepal 268/9 (Gulsan Jha 57(42), Arjun Saud 48(84) and Craig Young 2/36) vs Ireland 269/8 (Curtis Campher 62(59), Harry Tector 60(76) and Karan 4/58).
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