At 144-9 in 42.1 overs - still 51 runs short of the 195-run target set by Canada - everyone present at the Wanderers Cricket Ground, Windhoek (Namibia) had conceded Nepal's defeat on Wednesday
Nepal's Karan KC (right) and Sandeep Lamichhane after their exciting one-wicket win over Canada in a World Cricket League Div Two match
At 144-9 in 42.1 overs - still 51 runs short of the 195-run target set by Canada - everyone present at the Wanderers Cricket Ground, Windhoek (Namibia) had conceded Nepal's defeat on Wednesday. In fact, match referee Dev Goovindjee had also nominated Canada opener Srimantha Wijeratne for the Man of the Match award for his 103 off 152 balls. The South African had reason to believe so with Nepal's last wicket pair of Karan KC and Sandeep Lamichhane needing 51 runs off 47 balls to win. While Lamichhane can hardly bat, Karan's top score in his last six innings was 11 not out.
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Nepal face Windies test
But Karan's unbeaten 42, which included eight of the final two balls, left the cricketing world stunned as Nepal clinched one of their most heart-wrenching battles to qualify for next month's World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe where they will compete with the likes of West Indies to get an entry to the 2019 World Cup in England.
While all lost hopes, Karan's Nepal teammates kept shouting from the dressing room 'biswas rakhi jo' (keep believing in yourself). Nepal's batting coach Sulakshan Kulkarni told mid-day from Namibia on Thursday: "This battle was won only because of tremendous self-belief. Everyone in the team kept telling Karan and Sandeep not to lose hope. This was the best last-wicket partnership I have ever witnessed in my life.
Sulakshan Kulkarni
'Unbelievable win'
"The whole team was in a state of shock for five minutes after the victory. It was unbelievable." With eight needed off the final over, Canada tossed the ball to their death-bowling specialist Cecil Pervez. Pervez bowled four yorkers which Karan failed to negotiate. Though hope in Nepal's camp may have faded further, belief was still intact. Kulkarni believed Karan was capable of turning the match around if he managed to connect. "I knew if Karan would connect the ball, we would be in the game. He is a clean hitter like West Indies' Kieron Pollard. I feel IPL teams should watch out for him," Kulkarni signed off.
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