New Delhi: Nepal and Oman have secured two of the three ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 spots from the Asia/East Asia-Pacific Qualifier.
Following UAE’s victory over Samoa and ahead of their clash with Japan on Thursday, Oman and Nepal had already secured top-three finishes before facing each other in the Super Six stage. Five of the first six Super Six matches went down to the final over, showcasing how closely matched the teams were. Nepal won two thrilling matches to guarantee their World Cup spots.
Remaining unbeaten in the group stage, the team carried over two points into the Super Six stage and then secured last-ball wins against UAE and Qatar.
Dhruv Parashar hit Dipendra Singh Airee for a six, leaving the Emiratis needing just three runs off the final three balls. However, a catch off Sundeep Jora and two consecutive run-outs handed Nepal a dramatic last-ball victory.
The next day, Rohit Paudel’s team secured another thrilling victory, defending 148 as Qatar reached 97/1 in just 12 overs while chasing.
Sandeep Lamichhane grabbed a five-wicket haul conceding only 18 runs, triggered a batting collapse, and with only two wickets remaining and 10 runs still needed, Qatar left themselves with too steep a task.
Oman faced a tougher challenge against UAE
Talking about Oman, they carried two points into the Super Six stage and secured their first win over Qatar, comfortable defending a total of 172.
Although, Oman faced a tougher challenge against the United Arab Emirates, but Nadeem Khan’s explosive batting turned the game around, striking Muhammad Arfan for a four and a six in back-to-back deliveries helped them seal victory with two balls remaining.
Meanwhile, the Emiratis are currently on the third place following a convincing win over Samoa and are set to face a determined Japan team in a crucial match, eager to bounce back from their narrow loss to Qatar.
Qatar just needed 32 runs from the last three overs with only three wickets in hand, before a late surge from Muhammad Ikramullah (16* off 9) and Daniel Archer (12* off 8) snatched victory with two balls to spare.
Qatar and Samoa remain mathematically in contention
Qatar and Samoa remain mathematically in contention, but to claim the third spot, they must defeat each other in Thursday’s clash, rely on other results going their way, and have the advantage in net run rate. Both the teams would need Japan’s results to go their way, as a UAE win in Thursday’s opening match would be sufficient for Muhammad Waseem’s side to qualify for 2026 T20 World Cup.
Story Highlight
- Nepal and Oman have sealed two of the three ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 spots from the Asia/East Asia-Pacific Qualifier.
- Five of the first six Super Six matches went down to the final over, showcasing how closely matched the teams were.
- Qatar and Samoa remain mathematically in contention, but to claim the third spot, they must defeat each other in Thursday’s clash, rely on other results going their way, and have the advantage in net run rate.