Cricket World Cup League 2: Nepal beat Scotland in final-ball thriller

Scotland suffered a surprise last-ball defeat by Nepal in a nailbiting World Cup League 2 one-day international in Dundee.

Chasing the home side’s 296-7, Nepal’s last pair levelled the scores with one ball of the final over to spare.

And, when left-arm spinner Mark Watt’s delivery down the leg side was signalled as a wide to hand Nepal victory, it sparked a pitch invasion from passionate Nepal fans.

Nepal, who sit second bottom of the eight-team qualifying section, had lost to a second-string Scotland A side in a warm-up match on Thursday.

With Scotland asked to bat first, it looked like opener Charlie Tear’s 80, with Finlay McCreath pitching in with 55, had set a healthy target for the visitors.

Although Nepal opener Khushal Bhurtel scored 55, they slumped from 152-2 to 192-7 before all-rounder Karan KC, coming in at nine, did the damage with an unbeaten 65 from 41 balls, including four sixes.

Nepal went into the final over on 290-8 after Karan had plundered 18 from the 49th, but George Munsey caught Sandeep Lamichhane off Watt’s first delivery.

However, a wide from Watt and a single from last man Rijan Dhakal left Karan on strike with five needed for victory from three deliveries.

Karan hit two twos before Watt’s second wide of the over sealed an unlikely victory.

It looked like the fateful delivery may have come off Karan’s pad, but any protests were to no avail as Nepal took the points against a Scotland side sitting fourth in the table and four places above the visitors in the world rankings.

The ODI tri-series continues on Wednesday at the same venue, with Nepal taking on the Netherlands.