Published: Oct 13, 2017, 07:00 AM (IST)
Edited: Oct 13, 2017, 01:20 PM (IST)
Hello and welcome to live updates of ICC World Cricket League Championship. Nepal and Hong Kong will lock horns in first match of the two-ODI series. Nepal are stuttering at the sixth position in the championship table, with 8 wins from 12 games. Meanwhile, Hong Kong are a place above them.
In a league of eight teams, the top four will seal their spot in Qualifiers for 2019 World Cup. If Hong Kong win both matches, they will tie with Scotland in points. Whichever team has a higher net run rate will reach third spot. If Hong Kong win one of their matches, they will replace Kenya at the fourth spot.
Nepal, on the other hand, have no option but to win both matches comprehensively to stay alive in the race. Their skipper Paras Khadka stressed on the importance of the upcoming matches: “It is a crucial series for Nepal. As a team we have worked very hard in the last month to be fully prepared to win both games and be in the top four in the standings after round seven. We will look to play high-intensity cricket and are looking forward to facing Hong Kong,” he said in a press release published by ICC.”
Hong Kong captain Babar Hayat said his team has been working hard in order to beat Nepal in both matches: “We have been training hard in the gym in preparation for the ICC World Cricket League Championship matches and the ICC Intercontinental Cup fixture. There are still six teams vying for four qualification spots, so it is important for us to win both matches against Nepal and get maximum points. We will hope to benefit from home advantage. The ICC ICup is a good opportunity for us to play four-day cricket and for the young guys in the squad to perform well. We are very much looking forward to playing against strong competition in Afghanistan.”
