UAE Outclass Nepal in CWC League 2: Aryansh 98, Zahid 4-for Seal 5-Wicket Win.

UAE Outclass Nepal in CWC League 2: Aryansh 98, Zahid 4-for Seal 5-Wicket Win.

UAE Triumphs in Nail-Biter: Aryansh's Near-Century and Zahid's Debut Fire Seal Victory Over Nepal in CWC League 2 Thriller.

                    In a match that encapsulated the grit and unpredictability of associate cricket, the United Arab Emirates pulled off a commanding five-wicket victory over Nepal in the 88th fixture of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 (2023-27) at the ICC Academy Oval 1 in Dubai on October 30, 2025.

            Chasing a seemingly gettable 234, UAE rode on opener Alishan Sharafu's explosive 45 off 26 balls and a masterful 98 from Aryansh Sharma off 98 deliveries to overhaul the target with 39 balls to spare, finishing at 237/5 in 43.3 overs. Debutant all-rounder Zahid Ali's sensational 4/41 with the ball set the tone early, while Junaid Siddique's 3/54 complemented the effort to bundle Nepal out for 233.

This win propels UAE to eighth on the points table with 8 points from 14 matches, breathing fresh life into their qualification hopes for the 2027 World Cup, while Nepal, despite skipper Rohit Paudel's defiant 109, slip to seventh with 10 points from 15 outings. The victory marks UAE's third win in their last five, a timely boost ahead of their tri-series finale against the USA on November 1. For Nepal, it's a third straight loss in the UAE leg, highlighting vulnerabilities in their middle order and bowling attack. Aryansh Sharma, with his anchoring knock and two sharp catches, was rightfully named Player of the Match, his near-century a testament to UAE's emerging batting depth.

The daytime ODI, under clear Dubai skies with temperatures hovering around 32°C, drew a modest crowd of around 500, including local expat communities and cricket enthusiasts. Played on a true-bouncing ICC Academy pitch that offered early seam movement before flattening out, the game swung dramatically from Nepal's steady build to UAE's clinical demolition. As UAE captain Muhammad Waseem later quipped, "We came here to hunt, and today we feasted." This wasn't just a league game; it was a survival skirmish in the brutal grind of League 2, where every point is a step closer to the global stage.

Pre-Match Buzz: Stakes High in the Desert Derby

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2, spanning 2023-27, is the proving ground for eight associate nations vying for two direct spots and two more via qualifiers for the 2027 edition in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Nepal, who stunned the world with their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign, entered this tri-series leg against UAE and USA on the back of mixed form: a morale-boosting series win over Kenya at home, but recent defeats to Scotland and Papua New Guinea exposed batting inconsistencies. Captain Rohit Paudel, with 1,200+ ODI runs, was the linchpin, while leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane's return from suspension added bite to their attack.

UAE, hosts of this leg, were desperate to climb from the basement. Their campaign had been plagued by narrow losses – a four-wicket heartbreaker to USA just days prior – but young talents like Aryansh Sharma and Alishan Sharafu promised fireworks. Debutant Zahid Ali, a 24-year-old all-rounder from Sharjah, earned his cap after domestic hauls of 50+ wickets, bringing raw pace and lower-order hitting. Junaid Siddique, the experienced left-armer, led the attack with 25 scalps in the league so far. Pre-match, Waseem emphasized home advantage: "Dubai's pitch suits our seamers early, and our batsmen know how to chase here."

Nepal won the toss at 9:30 AM local (11:15 AM NPT) and opted to bat, citing the dew factor in the middle overs that could aid chasing. Playing XIs reflected tactical tweaks: Nepal brought in opener Tony Ura for Kushal Bhurtel to counter swing, while UAE handed Zahid his debut, dropping off-spinner Zeeshan Abid. Umpires Akbar Ali and Rohan Pandit oversaw proceedings, with no TV umpire for this league fixture. Streaming on FanCode drew 50,000+ viewers, many from South Asia, underscoring the growing footprint of associate cricket.

Nepal's Innings: Paudel's Lone Warrior Act Amid Collapse

Nepal's innings began with promise but unraveled into a tale of missed opportunities and debutant dominance. Openers Aasif Sheikh and Tony Ura faced a probing new-ball spell from Junaid Siddique and Zahid Ali under a gentle breeze. Ura, seeking form after a lean patch, flicked Zahid's first ball in ODIs for a leg-side boundary, but the pacers found rhythm quickly. In the fourth over, Siddique's inswinger trapped Ura lbw for 4, the opener reviewing unsuccessfully as Hawk-Eye confirmed the plumb call. Score: 7/1.

Aasif Sheikh, Nepal's reliable gloveman, steadied with Kushal Bhurtel (now at three), rotating strike against seam. By the 10th over, they had nudged to 38/1, but Zahid struck gold in the 12th: a bouncer that cramped Bhurtel (14) for room, gloved to Sharafu at second slip. 45/2. Enter Rohit Paudel, the anchor Nepal desperately needed. Paudel, with his impeccable timing, drove Siddique through covers for four, signaling intent. His partnership with Aasif blossomed into 62 runs off 78 balls, Aasif reaching 35 with a classy pull off medium-pacer Rohan Mustafa before holing out to deep midwicket off Siddique in the 23rd over. 107/3.

Paudel, now set, unleashed against spin. UAE turned to off-spinner Aryan Lakra, but Paudel danced down to loft him over long-on for six – his first maximum. Aarif Sheikh joined, adding 48 off 62 balls for the fourth wicket, with Paudel surpassing fifty off 65 balls via a swept four off Lakra. Nepal crossed 150 in the 35th over, eyes on 250+. But Zahid returned, his debut spell turning pivotal. In the 38th over, he yorked Aarif (27) for 150/4. Dipendra Singh Airee (23) fought gamely, flicking Zahid for boundaries, but another debut yorker in the 42nd castled him. 179/5.

The lower order crumbled. Gulsan Jha (8) edged Siddique to Waseem at slip (193/6, 45th over), and Zahid completed his four-for by clean-bowling Lamichhane (2) and Lalit Rajbanshi (0) in successive overs – the leg-spinner's middle stump uprooted in a fiery send-off. Paudel, unbeaten on 109 off 130 (10 fours, 2 sixes), became Nepal's second centurion in League 2, but ran out of partners. Last man Sompal Kami (12) holed out to long-off off Mustafa, folding Nepal at 233 all out in the 50th over. UAE's bowlers, led by Zahid's electric debut, had scripted a comeback, with Siddique's variations key. Nepal's fielding coach, Pubudu Dassanayake, later lamented: "We needed 50 more; the middle order let us down."

Nepal Innings Scorecard:

BatsmanDismissalRunsBalls4s6sT Ura lbw b Junaid Siddique 4 12 1 0
Aasif Sheikh (wk) c Sharafu b Junaid Siddique 35 58 3 0
K Bhurtel c Sharafu b Zahid Ali 14 28 1 0
Rohit Paudel (c) not out 109 130 10 2
Aarif Sheikh b Zahid Ali 27 45 2 0
DS Airee b Zahid Ali 23 32 2 0
Gulsan Jha c Waseem b Junaid Siddique 8 10 1 0
S Lamichhane b Zahid Ali 2 5 0 0
Lalit Rajbanshi b Zahid Ali 0 1 0 0
Sompal Kami c Aryansh Sharma b Mustafa 12 15 1 0
Abinash Bohara c Waseem b Mustafa 6 8 0 0
Extras (lb 5, w 8) 13
Total (all out, 50 ov) 233

Fall of Wickets: 7-1 (Ura, 3.4 ov), 45-2 (Bhurtel, 11.6 ov), 107-3 (Aasif, 22.4 ov), 155-4 (Aarif, 37.5 ov), 179-5 (Airee, 41.5 ov), 193-6 (Jha, 44.6 ov), 231-7 (Lamichhane, 48.3 ov), 231-8 (Rajbanshi, 48.4 ov), 231-9 (Kami, 49.4 ov), 233-10 (Bohara, 49.6 ov).

UAE Bowling:

BowlerOversMaidensRunsWicketsEconomyJunaid Siddique 10 0 54 3 5.40
Zahid Ali 9.5 0 41 4 4.21
Rohan Mustafa 10 0 55 2 5.50
Aryan Lakra 10 0 48 0 4.80
Hazrat Luqman 8 0 26 0 3.25
Basil Hameed 2 0 5 0 2.50

UAE's Chase: Fireworks from Sharafu, Steel from Aryansh

With 234 to win at 4.7 runs per over, UAE's chase ignited under the afternoon sun. Openers Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu faced Nepal's seam duo of Sompal Kami and Abinash Bohara. Waseem, the skipper, fell early – trapped lbw by Kami's inswinger in the second over for 1, reviewing in vain. 2/1. Enter Aryansh Sharma at three, but it was Sharafu who set pulses racing. The 25-year-old southpaw, fresh from a domestic fifty, smashed Bohara for three boundaries in the fourth over – a lofted drive, pull, and uppish cut – racing to 20 off 10. By the 10-over mark, UAE were 60/1, Sharafu on 32 off 15.

Nepal turned to spin, with Lamichhane's return proving costly. Sharafu reverse-swept him for six over short third man, then slog-swept for four, reaching 45 off 26 with a pull off Airee. But in the 13th over, Lamichhane had his revenge, bowling Sharafu through the gate for 88/2. Jonathan Figy joined Aryansh, and the duo rebuilt with a 75-run stand off 85 balls. Aryansh, the 22-year-old opener from Mumbai roots, played with poise – nudging singles, driving Lamichhane through covers for four. He reached fifty off 60 balls, a flicked boundary off Rajbanshi.

Figy (38 off 52) fell in the 24th over, stumped off Airee's off-spin after a loose drive, score 163/3. UAE needed 71 off 26 overs. Basil Hameed (12) added impetus but holed out to deep square off Lamichhane (2/34) in the 30th over for 185/4. Tension mounted as Rohit tightened the screws, but Aryansh held fort. He lofted Rajbanshi for six over long-on, his eighth four a straight drive off Kami. At 200/4 in the 38th over, victory loomed.

The final push came from the lower order. Rahul Chopra (5) edged Bohara to slip (211/5, 40th over), but Dhruv Parashar (16* off 18) and Zahid Ali (11* off 12) finished unbeaten. Zahid, fresh off his four-for, smashed a boundary off Rajbanshi to seal the win in the 43.3 over, running to embrace Aryansh. The opener, stranded on 98 – denied a century by a fielder's dive – punched the air in relief. Nepal's bowlers toiled, Lamichhane the pick, but leaks in the powerplay and death proved fatal. As the players shook hands, UAE's dugout erupted, their first home win in months.

UAE Innings Scorecard:

BatsmanDismissalRunsBalls4s6sMuhammad Waseem (c) lbw b Sompal Kami 1 5 0 0
Alishan Sharafu b S Lamichhane 45 26 6 1
Aryansh Sharma not out 98 98 8 1
Jonathan Figy st Aasif Sheikh b DS Airee 38 52 3 0
Basil Hameed c Gulsan Jha b S Lamichhane 12 18 1 0
Rahul Chopra c Aarif Sheikh b Abinash Bohara 5 8 0 0
Dhruv Parashar not out 16 18 1 0
Extras (lb 4, w 18) 22
Total (5 wkts, 43.3 ov) 237

Fall of Wickets: 2-1 (Waseem, 1.5 ov), 88-2 (Sharafu, 12.6 ov), 163-3 (Figy, 23.6 ov), 185-4 (Hameed, 29.5 ov), 211-5 (Chopra, 39.4 ov).

Nepal Bowling:

BowlerOversMaidensRunsWicketsEconomySompal Kami 8.3 0 50 1 5.88
Abinash Bohara 9 0 48 1 5.33
Lalit Rajbanshi 10 0 55 0 5.50
S Lamichhane 8 0 34 2 4.25
DS Airee 5 0 25 1 5.00
Rohit Paudel 3 0 19 0 6.33

Key Performances: Stars of the Show
Aryansh Sharma (98 off 98, 8x4, 1x6; 2 catches): The architect of the chase, his measured aggression – strike rate of 100 – neutralized Nepal's spinners. Missing a ton by a whisker, he also pouched Airee and Jha. "Felt like a dream out there," he said post-match.

Zahid Ali (4/41 debut; 11 off 12):* Four wickets on bow, including a triple-strike, and handy runs. His yorkers dismantled Nepal's tail; a future star.
Rohit Paudel (109 off 130): Nepal's lone ranger, his cover drives poetry. But support absent.

Alishan Sharafu (45 off 26, 6x4, 1x6): Powerplay blitz set the tone, SR 173.
Junaid Siddique (3/54): Early breakthroughs with swing.
Sandeep Lamichhane (2/34): Wickets at crucial junctures, but economy leaked.

Fielding highlights: Aryansh's low catch at covers, Aasif's stumping. No reviews burned dramatically, but DRS upheld key calls.

Post-Match Reflections: Joy, Regret, and Road Ahead

UAE's Waseem beamed: "Zahid's debut was magic; Aryansh carried us. This win's for the boys who've toiled." Paudel rued: "My 100, but we folded. Need to bat deeper." Zahid, emotional, dedicated his haul to family: "From gully cricket to this – unreal."

Social media buzzed – #UAECricket trended with 10K mentions, fans praising Zahid's fire. Nepal supporters lauded Paudel but called for middle-order fixes. Next: UAE vs USA on Nov 1, Nepal vs USA on Nov 2. In League 2's marathon, this Dubai duel reminded why associate cricket captivates: raw talent, unyielding spirit, and dreams bigger than the scores.