Scott Edwards’ unbeaten 61 steers Netherlands past Nepal in Utrecht
Scott Edwards anchored a measured chase with an unbeaten 61 as the Netherlands beat Nepal by six wickets in Utrecht, leaving the visitors still searching for a win in the tri-series.
Jul 24, 2026
The Netherlands tightened their grip on the World Cup League 2 tri-series in Utrecht on Thursday, beating Nepal by six wickets after captain Scott Edwards guided the chase with an unbeaten 61. Set 158 to win, the hosts got home with more than five overs to spare and banked two more points, while Nepal slipped to a second straight loss on this away leg.
Nepal undone by another top-order stumble
Batting first, Nepal never built the platform their innings needed. Aasif Sheikh, Kushal Bhurtel, captain Rohit Paudel and Ishan Pandey all fell cheaply inside the first 12 overs, the captain out for just 3. Dipendra Singh Airee and Gulsan Jha added some substance with 21 and 29, and Aarif Sheikh’s laboured 41 off 90 balls was the top score, but the lower order folded quickly and Nepal were bowled out for 157.
Edwards holds the chase together
Any hope Nepal had of defending a modest total ran into Edwards. The wicketkeeper-captain batted through the innings for 61 not out off 89 balls, pacing the pursuit rather than forcing it, and found steady support from Noah Croes, who finished on 34 not out. Sandeep Lamichhane, Nepal’s most dangerous bowler, went wicketless for 36 as the Netherlands reached 158 for 4 in 44.1 overs. There was little alarm once Edwards settled, the target ticking down without the Nepal spinners ever building sustained pressure.
Qualifying stakes climb for Nepal
The result matters well beyond the scoreboard. League 2 feeds directly into the qualification pathway for the 2027 ODI World Cup, and every point weighs heavily for the Associate nations chasing a place. Nepal arrived on this leg sitting fifth in the table, and back-to-back defeats against Namibia and now the Netherlands have made an already hard road steeper. For the hosts, it was a controlled, unfussy win that keeps their own qualification account ticking over.