Submit your Article

Nepal faced a 38-run defeat at the hands of the USA in ICC World Cup League-2.

The USA posted a 246-run target for Nepal in the match played at Moosa Cricket Stadium in Huston of the US. Nepal could muster 206 runs all out in 47.4 overs.

Nepal’s Aarif Sheikh scored the highest 63 runs including three fours while Sompal Kami gathered 47 runs, including a four from 72.

Sheikh and Kami made a partnership for 106 runs in the face-saving sixth wicket. Opener Kushal Bhurtel made 10, Ashif Sheikh 18, Dev Khanal 34 and Rohit Kumar Poudel 16 runs.

Saurav Netravalkar and Ali Khan of USA took three wickets each and Nothus Kaijing and Nisarga Patel one each to steer the USA team to victory.

Earlier, put on bat first after losing the toss, the USA mustered 245-7 in the 50-limited overs game.

Nepal’s bowlers Karan KC took three wickets, captain Sandeep Lamichhane two and Sompal Kami and Deepndra Singh Eiri one each.

The ICC, the apex body of world cricket, has lifted the control funding imposed on Nepal.

Issuing a statement on Tuesday, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) said that the ICC has lifted control funding imposed on Nepal.

The ICC sent a letter on Monday stating that the control funding imposed on Nepal has been fully relaxed and from onwards Nepal will be able to receive financial grants like other associate countries who have achieved one day status and can organize national-level tournaments and activities, the CAN said in the statement.

According to the statement signed by CAN Chairman Chet Bahadur Chand, the ICC lifted the control funding based on evaluation of the best performance in financial transparency.

Australia became the 31st team to book their place at the 2022 World Cup after beating Peru on penalties in an intercontinental play-off in Qatar, BBC reported.

Goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne, who replaced Mat Ryan just before the shootout for his third cap, was the hero, saving Alex Valera's final kick.

This will be Australia's fifth World Cup in a row, having qualified every time since 2006.

They will be in Group D alongside holders France, Denmark and Tunisia.

The World Cup's final team will be decided on Tuesday when Costa Rica face New Zealand at the same venue, the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, according to BBC.

That game will be streamed live on the BBC Sport website and app as well as on iPlayer and the Red Button at 19:00 BST

Erling Haaland scored two goals and made another as Norway beat their neighbours Sweden 3-2 in their Nations League Group B4 clash at the Ullevaal Stadium, taking his international goal tally to 20 –including four in two games against the Swedes, The Guardian reported.

The 21-year-old stooped to head home Fredrik Bjorkan’s chipped pass to open the scoring in the 10th minute and added his second from the penalty spot nine minutes into the second half after the goalkeeper Robin Olsen fouled Alexander Sorloth.

Emil Forsberg reduced the deficit shortly after the hour mark with a precise shot into the top corner but Haaland helped snuff out any hope of a comeback for the visitors as he crossed for Sørloth to score in the 77th minute.

Viktor Gyökeres scored for the Swedes in stoppage time to make it 3-2, but group leaders Norway held on to move up to 10 points.

Elsewhere in the Nations League, Serbiathrew away the chance to climb to within a point of Norway, drawing 2-2 with Sloveniaafter going two goals up. The visitors raced into a first-half lead thanks to Andrija Zivkovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic, but a triple half-time substitution from Slovenia spurred a comeback. Adam Gnezda Cerin pulled one back before 19-year-old Benjamin Sesko became his country’s youngest ever scorer with a smartly taken equaliser, according to the Guardian.

Carlos Soler kickstarted Spain’s straightforward 2-0 win over Czech Republic. The Valencia player finished unerringly from Marco Asensio’s pull-back in the first half before Pablo Sarabia wrapped up the win with 15 minutes to go.

Portugal fell a point behind their Iberian neighbours after a shock defeat to Switzerland. Haris Seferovic headed the hosts into a first-minute lead, and Portugal were denied a leveller a quarter of an hour later when Rafael Leão’s goal was ruled out for offside. A heroic second-half goalkeeping display from Jonas Omlin, which saw him deny Bernardo Silva and Diogo Jota, helped Switzerland earn their first points of the campaign.

After Northern Ireland’s draw with Cyprus in League C Group 2, Celtic forward Georgios Giakoumakis came off the bench to open the scoring in Greece’s 2-0 win over Kosovo and keep up his country’s perfect record so far. In Group 4, North Macedoniaeased past Gibraltar, Bojan Miovski scoring twice in a 4-0 win, while Georgia stayed top of the group after playing out a goalless draw with Bulgaria, The Guardian reported.