Skipper Gyanendra Malla and Dipendra Singh Airee struck half centuries to lead Nepal to a convincing seven-wicket win over Kenya during their fifth round match of the ICC World Cricket League Championship at TU Stadium in Kirtipur on Monday.

Put into bat first, Kenya were bowled out for 155 in 46.1 overs thanks to spinners who shared eight wickets, four of them by part-timer Sharad Vesawkar. Nepal surpassed the total in 30.2 overs with Vesawkar finishing off  the chase with a four and a six in consecutive balls.

Despite their first win in fourth attempt against Kenya in the 50-over game, Nepal remain rooted in sixth place with eight points after five rounds. Kenya are fifth in the eight-team standings with 10 points after winning the first game at the same venue on Saturday but missed a chance to go second with victory.

Nepal had a poor start to their run chase as they lost Malla’s opening partner Sunil Dhamala (1) and No 3 batsman Sagar Pun (5) cheaply to be reeling at 14-2. But Malla and Airee, who was playing just the second match for Nepal after making a debut on Saturday put on a massive 111-run third wicket stand to virtually take the game away from Kenya.

Airee was at the aggressive best scoring 62 runs off 66 balls, while Malla saw his team cross the finish line, remaining unbeaten on 64. Airee slammed eight fours and a six, while Malla who was standing in for Paras Khadka, also clobbered eight fours and a six in his 93-ball innings. Khadka sat out of both the games as he is recovering from an abdomen surgery that he underwent in mid-February.

Vesawkar then hurried the chase with a flurry of boundaries in scoring quick-fire 11-ball 24 runs. Vesawkar hit a four and a six in consecutive ball off Shem Ngoche to complete the chase. Elijah Otiena took two and Collins Obuya claimed one wicket for the visiting team.

Earlier, veteran left-arm seamer Mehboob Alam bowled a fiery spell that yielded two wickets to reduce Kenya to 14-2 in the fourth over. Alam returned with a double wicket maiden over in his second and the team’s fourth over. It was his first of the five maiden overs in trot that put screws of Kenya scoring. But opener Irfan Karim (38) and more threateningly No 4 batsman Collins Obuya (48) steadied the Kenyan ship with a crucial 79-run third wicket partnership. Leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane broke the stand by having Obuya stumped by Binod Bhandari in the 28th over.

And when Vesawkar sent Karim back to pavilion in the 31st over, Nepal clawed their way back. Part-time spinner Vesawkar did the most damage to Kenya by taking four wickets, while Basanta Regmi also claimed two scalps. Vesawkar’s bowling figures of 4-28 from 7.1 overs is the best ever from a Nepali bowlers in the  WCLC. Basanta Regmi and Sompal Kami had previously taken three wickets each.

Malla heaped praise on newcomers Airee for his free-flowing batting. “He played a beautiful knock and that is why he is in the team,” said Malla. “He is young but he was included in the team due to his potential,” said the Nepal skipper Malla adding that he was pleased to finally put on a big knock after throwing away wickets in 20s and 30s.

Nepal coach Jagat Tamatta said: “It was a team effort as everyone chipped in with either bat or the ball.” Tamatta is not yet giving up on the hopes of finishing in top four, which guarantees a berth for qualifying tournament for the 2019 World Cup.