Dubai — Nepal's national cricket team made history on Wednesday by qualifying for the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup for the first time, defeating Oman by six wickets in a must-win Group B encounter at the ICC Academy Ground.
All-rounder Sandeep Lamichhane returned figures of 3 for 18 and then top-scored with an unbeaten 44 off 29 balls to seal a chase of 142. The victory sparked jubilant celebrations back home, with fans gathering at Ratna Park in Kathmandu to watch on giant screens.
Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel called it "the proudest moment in the history of Nepali cricket." The team will now face Group 1 leaders India in their Super 8 opener on Saturday. Cricket Association of Nepal officials announced a prize purse of Rs 5 million for each player in recognition of the achievement.