Nepal defeated Kenya by three wickets in their fourth match of the ICC World Cricket League Division II match in Namibia on Monday, keeping the hope to secure a spot in March’s ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers alive.

In a nail-biting finish at Windhoek, Nepal chased down the 178-run target for the loss of seven wickets in 49.5 overs.

Nepali teenage spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who earlier took five wickets and bowled five maidens, was declared the man of the match. Rohit Kumar Paudel top scored 47 runs off 86 balls, followed by Aarif Sheikh 42, and Captain Paras Khadka 42 and Sarad Vesawakar chipped 19.

Earlier, Nepal won the toss and invited Kenya to bat first in which the latter posted 177 runs by losing eight wickets in the allotted 50 overs. From Kenyan side, IA Karim scored the highest 42 runs off 100 balls and and AA Obanda scored 41  off 46 balls.

With the victory, Nepal won three matches and lost one and are still in contention for a top-two finish in the tournament.

Top-two finish in this tournament will secure a spot in March’s ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers and subsequently opening up opportunities to become one-day international team and participate in the elite competitions for non-Test playing countries. The bottom-two sides will be relegated to Division I.

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Nepal won the toss and invited Kenya to bat first in which the latter posted 177 runs by losing eight wickets in the allotted 50 overs. Nepali teenage spinner took five wickets and bowled five maidens, conceding only 20 runs from 60 balls. 

From Kenyan side, IA Karim scored the highest 42 runs off 100 balls and and AA Obanda scored 41 off 46 balls.

Following two wins and a loss from their previous three matches, Nepal are still in contention for a top-two finish in the tournament.

Kenya, meanwhile, are winless from their two matches and must win this match for a top-two finish.

Top-two finish in this tournament will secure a spot in March’s ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers and subsequently opening up opportunities to become one-day international team and participate in the elite competitions for non-Test playing countries. The bottom-two sides will be relegated to Division I.

The two sides earlier met for four official matches in which Kenya won three and lost one against Nepal. Nepal’s only victory against the African side was in March, 2017, when Nepal registered a seven-wicket victory against them.