Muscat, Oct. 15 – Nepal and Oman have become the first teams from the Asia/East Asia‑Pacific Qualifier to lock up a place in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The pair sealed their spots by finishing in the top three of the Super Six stage, a placement that UAE’s win over Samoa has now made impossible for either side to escape the qualifiers.
The Super Six phase has been a rollercoaster. Five of the first six matches went down to the last over, and both Nepal and Oman showed nerves of steel in those high‑pressure moments. Nepal entered the stage unbeaten, carrying two points into the round, and then won a thrilling final‑over thriller against the UAE. In that encounter, Dipendra Singh Airee dodged a six from Dhruv Parashar that left Nepal needing three runs off three balls. A sharp catch by Sundeep Jora and two run‑outs turned the game, giving Nepal a last‑gasp victory.
A day later, Nepal posted 148 and seemed out of the match when Qatar reached 97 for one in just 12 overs. But Sandeep Lamichhane shocked everyone with a 5‑for‑18 spell that rattled Qatar into a collapse. Nepal finished 10 runs ahead, earning an iconic win that guarantees their spot in 2026.
Oman mirrored Nepal’s consistency. They also began with two points and defended 172 comfortably against Qatar. In a tight chase against the UAE, Oman relied on Nadeem Khan’s late fireworks—he hit a four and a six in consecutive balls off Muhammad Arfan to finish the game with two balls to spare. That win set Oman on a winning path toward the World Cup.
The United Arab Emirates remain in contention for the final qualification spot after their dominant win over Samoa. Their victory places them third, heading into a crucial clash against Japan on Oct. 16. Qatar still has a slim chance, needing a win over Samoa and ideal results from other matches to edge ahead on net run rate.
Samoa, despite beating Papua New Guinea earlier in the group stage, have been knocked out after a string of consecutive losses.
The qualification battle continues, but Nepal and Oman’s triumphs bring the continent one step closer to the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Source: ianslive
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