Associate Tri-Tournament - Canada v Nepal Revisit

Aaron Johnson and his Canadian team mates will hope for a better performance and result against their Nepalese opponents today in their final appearance in the League 2 tournament. The North Americans may not get to one of the qualifying places for the next round but they come off a win against Oman and will want to end on a high

CWC Tri-Tournament - Canada v Nepal @ Al Amerat Saturday 17 October 2026

The last game for the Canadians of this section of the 2027 ODI WC qualifiers.  They are presently in 7th place and can probably move to 6th, at least until the game between Oman and Nepal on Monday where their present opponents may very well move above them again with a victory.  But today is today and the North Americans have won the toss and will bat first.  Nepal are looking to keep up their undefeated record in this competition hving beaten both of their opponents in the first round of matches.

Aaron Johnson and Yuvraj Samra face the Nepal new ball attack of Nandan Yadav and  Karan KC for the second time in the week and they will hope for a better and longer time in the middle this morning. It starts off slow though with only 4 leg byes coming from the first over.  The first boundary is from Johnson's bat in the second and he ends it with 7 to his name.

The batting pair have moved to 29 after 5 with the lead, as usual, being taken by the tall Canadian opener with a run a ball 18 to his name while Samra takes the support role in the early overs with 4.

Dipendra Singh Airee is on for his first spell with the ball in the 7th as the opening attack has had little effect on the Canadian opening pair who push the score past 50 with a four and the first six of the innings from Samra in the 8th and probably the last for a while from KC as the bat takes 16 from it to move his side to 53 for no wicket.

Not suprisingly there is a change after the 9th and Latit Rajbanshi takes the last in the 'Powerplay' giving away only 2 runs in his first and allowing the batting side to move to 62 from the first 10 with the pair levelling out the scoring a little, Samra having 25 from his 22 while Johnson has 29 from 38 - the best start of the Canadian batting line-up in this tournament so far.

The Nepal captain Sandeep Lamichhane brings himself on for the 13th with the score on 70 without loss.  However, it is Rajbanshi who gets the first scalp when Johnson  is caught in two minds about his 5th ball of the 14th.  He steps across and then back but the bowler changes the trajectory of the ball and the bat's attempt to cut the ball away is not successful and he is bowled for 32 from 52 with Canada on 72 for 1.  Gohil is the replacement bat and the score does not move on at the end of the 15th after the skipper bowls a maiden.

Rohit Paudel comes on for the 19th and he bowls a maiden to start his account for the day.  It is 94 for 1 with 20 overs down. Samra has 36 from 52 while his new bat buddy Samit Gohil has a run a ball 14.  The 100 arrives with the 4th ball of Paudel's next over.  Nepal bring Yadav back on for the 22nd after pretty ineffective first four overs at the start of the innings.  He has only gone for 14 but didn't tax the openers much at the start to be honest.

At the end of the 24th Paudel traps Gohil in front and he is out LBW at 105 for 2.  He departs for 17 from 21 bringing Harsh Thaker to the crease earlier than usual as we move to the halfway stage of the innings.  That arrives with Canada on 109 for 2 - having been slowed a little by the Nepal middle over bowling.

Samra is moving forward however and he starts the second half of the innings with a dismissive four off the returning KC to reach a personal 50 from 73 balls with 7 fours and a six. KC is going for some today, presently finding himself with over 8 runs an over (Samra did take him for abiout half of that from one over to be fair).  Samra is still taking him on and prodeuces another six at the end of his 6th to push his run deficit over 50 and the Canadian score to 132 for 2 at the end of the 28th.

In the 29th the Canadian bat looks to take on Paudel as well sending him into the Academy car park for six as well (his third of the innings).  Nepal turn back to Rajbanshi to see if he can put an end to this scoring acceleration as he has 1 for 10 from his first four overs.  He produces a maiden to keep the opposition at 140 for 2 after 30 overs but the scoring suggests a significant score over 200 is on the cards with 20 overs to go. 

At the end of the 31st over, Canada reach the 150 mark with a single off the bowling of Paudel from the bat of Samra.  Thaker is also starting to become a problem for Nepal as well as he moves to providing a little more than just rotating the strike to making runs in his own right.

At 35 overs the score has moved on to 165 without further loss which is setting the batting side up nicely for the final 10 over run with wickets in hand and about 200 on the board if the plan goes as expected.  Although they don't quite make the 200 with 10 to go, Canada have moved to 190 without further loss at the end of the 40th.  Samra is four runs away from an excellent century and Thaker has moved into the 30s.

But 3 balls into the 41st he looks to put Rajbanshi over the rope and does not get enough of it so he finds the fielder Airee instead an is caught in the deep for 34 from 57 at 193 for 3. this brings the Canadian captain Hamza Tariq to the middle tolook to help Samra push this score well past 250.

First of all Yuvraj Samra  reaches 3 figures off the first ball of the 43rd over with a single off Lamichhane. An innings scored a roughly a run a ball with double figure fours and 4 sixes in it. The new pair look to take the score to the next target pooint but Samra's innings saving spell ends at the backend of the 44th as he looks to take Airee on and only finds the grateful hands of KC to finish with 105 from 117 balls with 11 fours and the 4 sixes at 219 for 4. 

Akhil Kumar returning to the side for this game for Hundal joins his skipper in the middle.  However 9 balls later, his return with the bat ends as he is bowled by Lamichhane for 3 from 5 as the score limps towards 230 at 229 for 5. Sandeep is not finished because 2 overs later in the 48th he removes the 'boss' Tariq in caught by KC for 30 from 26 before new man Kaleem Sana is bowled off the first ball he faces at the same score.

Canada are left with Aaditya Varadharajan and the new bat Sheel Patel facing the hat-trick ball which they manage to cope with  but they don't manage to pass the 250 mark before Airee bowls Patel for 2 aty 245 for 8 in the 49th.  Sukhjinder Singh helps his side past the 250 mark before he goes in the 40th going up the wicket to Rajbanshi and being stumped by keeper Aasif Sheikh for 6.

The final pair see out the last 3 bals with Varadharjan finishing unbeaten on 12 from 12 while Shirzad faces the last ball and is 0 not out.  256 for 9 is probably less then the Canadians would have hoped for at 30 overs but it is a defendable score and they need to bowl with that in mind.  The Nepal bowlers were a little less tight thatn normalwith KC taking a lot of 'tap' from Samra and going for over 8 an overand wicketless.  Singh Airee also suffered from a looser than normal result with 2 for 49 from his 9.  His skipper took 3 for the same score from his 10 and Paudel had the other wicket in the 9 he bowled for 43 runs.

It's down to the Canadian bowlers to keep the Nepal bats in check.

The Reply

Kaleem Sana and Zahid Shirzad look to get in amongst the Nepal front end as they start the attack against the establishe dopening pair of Arjun Kumal and skipper Aasif Sheikh.  The first boundary comes in the first over as Kumal monopolises the strike and takes Sana for 9 (8 off the bat).  Sheikh does almost the same to Shirzad in the second taking him for another 7.  A good aggressive start from the Nepal operners.

By the 5th, Nepal  have moved to 33 without loss with both bats moving into the teens with the captain being slightly ahead and almost into the 20s.

In the 7th, Sheikh tries to pull Sana but only gets a bottom edge and the ball goes through to the keeper.  The Nepal keeper leaves the middle for 20 from 21 and they lose their first wicket at 37 for 1 which brings out Ishan Pandy to take his team mate's place.   The end of the 7th also sees a change in bowling as Shirzad moves aside for Sheel Patel to start his bowling work of the day.  Pandy drives his second ball for his first boundary, moving Nepal into the 40's.

Nepal pass 50 in the 10th over with 2 from Pandy off the bowling of Patel.  They finish the 'Powerplay' at 53 for 1.

Singh comes into the Canadian attack in the early teens and the bowling attack moves to dual spin to exert the 'press' on the Nepalese.  It is not until the 17th over that Canada break the partnership when Pandy top edges as drive and rather thansending the ball back over bowler Singh's head, he finds the ball nestles in the hands of Gohil  and he leaves the middle for 21 from 29 at 78 for 2.  That prompts a drinksbreak with Nepal needind another 179 runs from 33.2 overs at a rate just under 6 an over.

The new partnership couples Kumal on 35 from 50 with Rohit Paudel the incoming bat.  This new pair push the score to 91 for 2 at the end of the second batch of 10 overs so to some extent the Nepal 'press' has had a minor effecet as the scoring rate has dropped slightly.  But it is still early days and there are still significant wickets in hand as the game moves towards it's last quarter at 25 overs.  There is still a lot to play for on both sides of this contest.  

As we move into the afternoon of this Saturday it is obvious that it is the end of an Omani working week and the stands are starting to see a significant increase in supporters taking up their places.  The makeup is definitely predominantly Nepalese as is usually the case for a cricket match involving their national side in the Gulf.  I often wonder if Oman has ever played at home to a large crowd made up of a significantly Arab cohort.  Either the opposition bring a large crowd or the fans are very few and far between.  Cricket in these parts is still an 'ex pat' event with a very particular 'sub-continental' feel to it on the rare occasions when the crowds are significant. 

The Nepal 100 arrives with two runs from Paudel at the end of the 23rd over, bowled by the returning Shirzad.  It moves the bat on to 13 as his partner Kumal almost quietly nears his half century (44). Harsh Thaker is now in the attack and partnering Zahid as we move to the halfway point of the Nepal innings.  He bowls the 25th and the score has reached108 for 3 with a ball to go when the young seamer removes Paudel LBW for 18 from 29 at 108 for 3.

Basir Ahamad comes in to help the opener Kumal who is still there pass his 50 and move on.  Though in these games, it is never a good time to come to the crease when there is a drinks break or a significant point in the game!!  The new mansurvives the last ball of Shirzad's 6th ane the game moves into it's last quarter with 25 overs to go and 149 runs to get with 7 wickets in hand.

7 balls later, Arjun Kumal passes 50 to 51 at 113 for 3 from 74 balls.  It has been a sollid rather than exciting half centurybut it keeps his side in touching ditance of the final total and gives them something to build on during the run in.  While he is there this total looks more achievable so his contribution has been positive so far.  The 'quietness' of the score is illustrated by the fact it only includes 2 fours.  It is an innings that shows the difference between the sides in this tournament.  You would not expect that score in that form to exist on a present Omani scorecard for example.  The concept of accumulating runs seems to be one only the Nepalese embrace with any kind of success.

In the next over Akhil Kumar starts his bowling session to confuse things even more!!

In the 30th over we have the inevitable 'daft' wicket we usually see in these games.  Singh bowls to Ahamad who looks to guide one away, gets no bat on the ball and sees it lodge in Hamza's keeper pads.  Ahamad looks at Tariq as he fumbles for the ball, for some reason thinks a single is on and takes off only for the keeper to get hold of the ball and stump him!!  Did he seriously think the keeper would take ages to find the ball in the top of his pads????  He wanders off with 6 off 13 to his name at 134 for 4.  Madness!!

Dipenra Singh Airee comes in to see out the 30th.  His side have not needed his heroics in this tournament so far but this might be the day at 133 for 4 with 20 overs to go and 124 more runs needed at a RRR that has gone over 6 for the first time.

The 150 arrives in the 33rd from the bat of Kumal taking him on to 67 while his newst partner has 12 to his name.  At that point they need 107 runs from 102 balls.  By the 35th over the score has been extended to 163 for 4.

Shirzad returns to the attack for the 37th and at the end of the over we have a little medical work needing to be done as the heat and conditions take their toll on Kumal who has been out there for some time and seems to be suffering from cramp brought on by slight dehydration one would imagine.  Fluids and a bit of massage sort the issue out and we continue.  

Nepal lose a significant wicket at 175 for 4 as Singh Airee is returned to the dressing room for 27 from 32 when Singh tempts him into sweeping and he doesn't get enough of it and simply top edges it to Sana around the corner.  That could be a big loss for Nepal as the RRR rises and creates a BIG ask for the next man in, the returning Gilshan Jha who has also not been ask for much so far in this tournament but now may have to provide something significant. 

With 10 overs to go the score is 187 for 5 and the equationis simple.  Nepal need anothe 70 to win the contest and Canada need 5 wickets.  It looks very promising for the batting side though you can't definitely say they willwin because two wickets changes the maths considerably, expecially if one of the lost wickets is Kumal.  However, you can say that is now a game for Nepal to lose effectively.

With that statement, 5 balls into the 41st, a speculative drive into the infield by Kumal results in a very veryJha good divin catch from Varadharjan sees the end of the Nepalese' bats innings.  He leaves the field with 87 from 111 balls at 194 for 5 and the Canadiians have hope again.  Looking at the replayit was a mishit as Kumal was looking to drive to the offside but a leading edge sent it to the legside and in the range of a fielder.  It wasstill a ball that really needed catching and the fielder did very well to reach it.

Karan KC joins Jha in the middle and the role of getting his side home is verymuch in the hands of Gulshan now. If it happens it will happen in front of a considerable pro Nepal crowd now we have moved to about 4:30 Omani time.  I also think that crowd includes a young supporter who was there last year and simply constantly chants " Nepal Nepal" over and over again!!

The 200 arrives with a single from the bat of Jha in the 43rd over as Sana returns to bowl out at the Academy end. (he has 3 left).  Nepal need 49 from 7 and some boundaries which Jha is looking to produce.  Harsh Thaker realises that as he overpitches a ball and Gulshan sends it back oveer his head for six.  However the twists keep coming as Jha, keen to get on strike at the other end  looks for a quick single but is sent back as there treally wasn't a single there.  Despite Tariq slipping he does manage to break the wicket and run the retreating bat out for 21 from 19. 216 for 7 in the 44th with the new partner being Nadan Yadav.

The game has got interesting again as there are still 41 runs needed with 3 wickets in hand.  KC eases the pressure a little with a six off Shirzad in the 45th. We then lose the feed and while the screen is blank, Yadav was caught by Kumar with the score on 231 for 8 off Sheel Patel who retrurned for the 46th over.  Lamichhane replaced him but was run out, going for a second we assume by Gohil at 232 4 balls into the 46th and then Rajbanshi was LBW plumbin front with the last ball of the 46th.  3 wickets falling in the last over means that Canada steal this game from Nepal who have fallen apart with victory in sight.  They lose by 24 runs and Canada move to occupy the 6thposition in the league until at least Monday when the final game of this tournament sees Oman take on Nepal.

3 wickets from Singh, 2 from Sana and 1 from Shirzad and the first run out led to the 3 wicket collapse in the final Patel over and that was all she wrote for Nepal today.  The loss of Arjun Kumal was probably the killer though I have seen this side get there from poorer positions but it was not to be today and it sets up the last game as Oman need the points and Nepal need to finish on a high.  On to Monday.