UAE advance to Asia Cup qualifier final against Nepal after more DLS drama

National team snatch advantage from Oman just before deluge arrives in Kathmandu

UAE advanced to the final of Asia Cup qualifier. Subas Humagain for The National

Forty-four days after they had their path to the World Cup complicated by an emotional defeat via Duckworth Lewis Stern in Kathmandu, UAE were able to benefit from cricket’s rain-revision method after another extraordinary day in Nepal’s capital.

The national team can look forward to trying to exact revenge for last month’s Cricket World Cup League 2 loss when they face Nepal in Monday’s ACC Premier Cup final, after they beat Oman by two runs on DLS in the semi-final.

The winners of Monday’s game will advance to play India and Pakistan at the Asia Cup later this year.

The fact UAE are still in with a shot is remarkable given that Oman were ahead in their chase until the very last ball bowled before an electrical storm forced the sides from the field in Mulpani.

Rain had been rolling around the valley all afternoon, but the Oman-UAE fixture had somehow avoided any interruptions until 93 overs had been bowled. At that stage, Oman’s score read 190-6, with the DLS target 193.

Just moments earlier Oman had had a place in the final in their grasp. First, Basil Hameed, returning to the side for the first time after months out of favour, had Ayaan Khan expertly caught on the boundary rope by Rohan Mustafa.

Still, Oman held a slender advantage. Then, on the final ball before the deluge arrived, Sandeep Goud was brilliantly caught at the wicket by Vriitya Aravind. Suddenly, the advantage was theirs.

And soon, after the storm meant no further play was possible, the place in the final was theirs, too.

Because the two Gulf neighbours were playing against each other, it meant the Mulpani Cricket Ground, which is around 10kms outside Kathmandu’s city centre, became the world’s newest one-day international venue.

Cricket’s arcane rules have meant the majority of matches in this tournament have been 50-over matches, rather than full ODIs. Only when Nepal, Oman and UAE have faced each other have the fixtures had that status.

How many more will be played at this specific ground, which is where the Cricket Association of Nepal has its base, is unclear. Stands are under construction at a different ground a few hundred metres down the hill.

Despite there being scarce spectator seating inside the venue, the fixture still attracted an appreciable crowd beyond the barbed-wire topped fences and walls.

Not that they were always entirely ensconced in the live action. During Oman’s run-chase, sporadic chants of “Nepal, Nepal!” broke out, in response to how the host nation were faring in the other semi-final.

A number of spectators were displaying the livestream of that on the mobile phones. There were frequent wails of delight: Nepal dominated Kuwait in their fixture 17kms across the Kathmandu Valley, before the rain curtailed it.

Mulpani has characterised itself in this competition by offering prodigious turn, and this fixture was no different.

UAE’s top order initially cashed in against pace, most notably when Muhammad Waseem deposited four balls beyond the ground’s perimeter fence.

The national team captain fell two short of a half-century, but his 48 was still the top score of the innings.

Bilal Khan and Zeeshan Maqsood took four wickets each, and Ayaan Khan took two – including that of his very near namesake Aayan Khan – as UAE were bowled out for 236 with four deliveries left unused.

Given the way their own innings had panned out, it was understandable UAE refused to panic despite the fast start Oman made to the chase.

Openers Kashyap Prajapati and Jatinder Singh both looked in prime touch as they put on 78, before Karthik Meiyappan accounted for both with his leg spin.

Meiyappan’s three-wicket burst – he also dismissed Shoaib Khan – prised an opening for the national team, but Oman remained comfortable, with captain Maqsood and Mohammed Nadeem at the wicket.

Then, though, Hameed was handed the ball for that fateful 43rd over, and he delivered an extraordinary win for UAE.