What were Sandeep Lamichhane's bowling figures in the Netherlands innings?

Sandeep Lamichhane took 3 wickets for 39 runs in his 10 overs, maintaining an economy rate of 3.90.

How did debutant Nandan Yadav perform in Match 78?

Nandan Yadav impressed on his ODI debut by taking 3 wickets for 39 runs in 9 overs and remaining unbeaten on 10 runs in Nepal's innings.

What is the ODI head-to-head record between Nepal and Netherlands?

At the time of Match 78, the Netherlands led the ODI head-to-head record 3-2 overall, although Nepal had won back-to-back ODIs in Dundee, including Matches 75 and 78.

Nepal National Cricket Team Vs Netherlands National Cricket Team Match Scorecard

Q: Who won the Nepal vs Netherlands Match 78 of ICC CWC League 2?

Nepal won Match 78 of the ICC CWC League 2 by 16 runs after scoring 236/9 in 50 overs and bowling the Netherlands out for 220 in 49.2 overs.

Q: Why was Nepal penalised 10 runs during Match 78?

The on-field umpires penalised Nepal two separate five-run penalties because the batters were judged to have intentionally run on the pitch at overs 36.3 and 39.2, potentially damaging the surface.

Q: What were Paul van Meekeren's bowling figures in Match 78?

Paul van Meekeren recorded bowling figures of 4 wickets for 58 runs in 10 overs with an economy rate of 5.80.

Q: Where was Nepal vs Netherlands Match 78 played?

The match was played at Forthill Cricket Ground in Dundee, Scotland.

Q: What was Nepal's run rate in Match 78?

Nepal scored 236 runs in 50 overs at a run rate of 4.72 per over.

Nepal delivered one of the most dramatic performances in the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two as they beat Netherlands by 16 runs in Match 78 at Forthill, Dundee on June 10, 2025. The Nepal National Cricket Team Vs Netherlands National Cricket Team Match Scorecard tells the story of grit, controversy, and brilliance — Nepal overcame a shock 10-run penalty for “running on the pitch” to post 236/9 in 50 overs and then bowl the Dutch out for 220 in 49.2 overs.

The turning point of this classic Nepal vs Netherlands encounter was Aarif Sheikh’s heroic 84 off 85 balls, which single-handedly kept Nepal’s innings afloat after a mid-innings collapse. Debutant Nandan Yadav (3/39) and leg-spin wizard Sandeep Lamichhane (3/39) then dismantled the Dutch batting order to seal a win that extended Nepal’s winning run to three victories in four league games.

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational and entertainment purposes. The statistics and details provided herein are based on public sources and may contain errors or be subject to change. Please do not rely solely on this information for making any decisions; we are not liable for any losses incurred as a result of its use.

Match Summary

Team	Runs	Wickets	Overs	Result
Nepal (NEP)	236	9	50.0	Won by 16 Runs
Netherlands (NED)	220	10	49.2	Lost

Match: 78th Match, ICC Cricket World Cup League Two 2023–27
Date: June 10, 2025
Venue: Forthill, Dundee, Scotland
Toss: Netherlands won the toss and elected to bowl
Player of the Match: Aarif Sheikh (Nepal) – 84 off 85 balls

Nepal made a shaky start, losing two wickets inside the first seven overs, but a crucial 59-run partnership between Bhim Sharki and Rohit Paudel stabilised the innings. After the middle-order collapsed to 167/6, the controversial 10-run penalty (two lots of five) left Nepal reeling. Yet Aarif Sheikh refused to give up, and his 84 powered the Rhinos past 230. Chasing 237 (including the 10-run head-start Netherlands had earned), the Dutch were bowled out for 220 with five balls remaining, handing Nepal a memorable 16-run victory in this Netherlands vs Nepal contest.

Nepal Batting Highlights — 1st Innings (236/9 in 50 Overs)

Player	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	SR	Dismissal
Kushal Bhurtel	18	19	2	0	94.74	b Paul van Meekeren
Anil Kumar Sah	2	16	0	0	12.50	c N Croes b Paul van Meekeren
Bhim Sharki	35	38	3	0	92.11	c W Barresi b M Levitt
Rohit Paudel (c)	35	60	0	1	58.33	c T Nidamanuru b M Levitt
Aarif Sheikh	84	85	7	2	98.82	b Paul van Meekeren
Dipendra Singh Airee	16	24	1	0	66.67	c W Barresi b M Levitt
Basir Ahmad	11	25	1	0	44.00	c M O’Dowd b A Dutt
Karan KC	11	19	1	0	57.89	b Paul van Meekeren
Nandan Yadav	10	12	0	0	83.33	Not Out
Sandeep Lamichhane	2	2	0	0	100.00	Run Out
Lalit Rajbanshi	DNB	–	–	–	–	Did Not Bat
Extras	12					(6w, 6lb)
Total	236/9					(50 Overs, RR: 4.72)

Fall of Wickets: 20-1 (Bhurtel, 4.4), 29-2 (Sah, 6.6), 88-3 (Sharki, 20.1), 106-4 (Paudel, 24.3), 138-5 (Airee, 32.2), 167-6 (Basir, 39.4), 203-7 (Karan KC, 45.5), 233-8 (Aarif Sheikh, 49.3), 236-9 (Lamichhane, 49.6)

Aarif Sheikh was the spine of Nepal’s batting. At 106/4, Nepal looked in serious trouble, but Sheikh anchored the innings with his 85-ball 84, forming crucial partnerships with Airee (32 runs), Basir Ahmad (29 runs), and Karan KC (36 runs) through the challenging middle and death overs. His departure in the penultimate over signalled the innings closing out. The 10-run penalty stripped Nepal of momentum but not their resolve — what looked like 246 was effectively 226 when Netherlands took the field.

Netherlands Bowling Figures — vs Nepal 1st Innings

Bowler	Overs	Runs	Wickets	Economy	WD
Paul van Meekeren	10	58	4	5.80	6
Kyle Klein	10	54	0	5.40	0
Aryan Dutt	10	32	1	3.20	0
Roelof van der Merwe	10	37	0	3.70	0
Michael Levitt	10	49	3	4.90	0

Paul van Meekeren was the pick of the Dutch bowling attack, snaring 4/58 including the prized wicket of Aarif Sheikh in the penultimate over. Michael Levitt contributed three wickets, removing Bhim Sharki, Rohit Paudel, and Dipendra Singh Airee in a controlled middle-overs spell. The economical Aryan Dutt conceded just 3.20 per over, keeping the scoring in check through the slower middle phase. Despite the collective effort, no one could find a way past Aarif Sheikh’s brilliant innings.

Netherlands Batting Highlights — 2nd Innings (220/10 in 49.2 Overs)

Player	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	SR	Dismissal
Michael Levitt	27	27	3	1	100.00	lbw b Sandeep Lamichhane
Max O’Dowd	4	10	0	0	40.00	c Lalit Rajbanshi b Nandan Yadav
Wesley Barresi	36	60	3	0	60.00	c B Ahmad b Lalit Rajbanshi
Scott Edwards (c/wk)	30	47	2	0	63.83	b Lalit Rajbanshi
Zach Lion Cachet	2	6	0	0	33.33	lbw b Sandeep Lamichhane
Teja Nidamanuru	17	36	1	0	47.22	c Rohit Paudel b Sandeep Lamichhane
Noah Croes	22	27	4	0	81.48	lbw b Kushal Bhurtel
Kyle Klein	25	46	0	1	54.35	c Rohit Paudel b Nandan Yadav
Roelof van der Merwe	16	22	0	1	72.73	c B Sharki b Nandan Yadav
Aryan Dutt	8	11	0	0	72.73	Not Out
Paul van Meekeren	6	5	1	0	120.00	c A Sheikh b Karan KC
Extras	27					(11w, 1nb, 5lb, 10 penalty runs)
Total	220/10					(49.2 Overs, RR: 4.46)

Fall of Wickets: 24-1 (O’Dowd, 3.2), 65-2 (Levitt, 11.3), 96-3 (Barresi, 20.2), 103-4 (Lion Cachet, 21.4), 132-5 (Edwards, 30.1), 136-6 (Nidamanuru, 31.6), 173-7 (Croes, 39.3), 204-8 (van der Merwe, 46.2), 206-9 (Klein, 46.6), 220-10 (van Meekeren, 49.2)

The Dutch innings began with the unusual advantage of starting at 10/0 thanks to the penalty runs. Levitt launched aggressively with a run-a-ball 27 before Lamichhane struck. Wesley Barresi (36) and Scott Edwards (30) provided the most stable partnership of the innings, but once both departed in quick succession at 132 and 136, Netherlands lost their way. The lower order flattered to deceive — Noah Croes (22) and Kyle Klein (25) showed fight, but Nepal’s bowling group was too disciplined. The Dutch eventually fell 16 runs short.

Nepal Bowling Figures — vs Netherlands 2nd Innings

Bowler	Overs	Runs	Wickets	Economy	NB	WD
Karan KC	8.2	51	1	6.10	0	1
Nandan Yadav	9	39	3	4.33	1	7
Lalit Rajbanshi	10	29	2	2.90	0	0
Sandeep Lamichhane	10	39	3	3.90	0	1
Kushal Bhurtel	10	34	1	3.40	0	2
Dipendra Singh Airee	2	13	0	6.50	0	0

Debutant Nandan Yadav was a revelation, claiming 3/39 on his ODI debut to remove O’Dowd, Kyle Klein, and Roelof van der Merwe at critical stages. Sandeep Lamichhane was equally incisive with 3/39, his leg-spin foxing Levitt, Zach Lion Cachet, and Teja Nidamanuru. Lalit Rajbanshi was the most economical bowler of the innings, conceding just 2.90 per over and dismissing both Scott Edwards and Wesley Barresi — the two batters who had threatened to take the game away from Nepal. This was a collective bowling effort worthy of the Nepal National Cricket Team Vs Netherlands National Cricket Team rivalry at its best.

Key Moments & Tactical Analysis

Toss Impact: Netherlands’ decision to bowl first looked astute early on, as the Dundee pitch offered seam movement and Nepal lost two wickets inside the powerplay. Kyle Klein and Paul van Meekeren exploited the conditions expertly, keeping the run rate suppressed to 4.72.

Powerplay Momentum: Nepal struggled in the powerplay, posting 37/2 in the first 10 overs. Netherlands, in contrast, began confidently with a head start of 10 and raced to 37/1 in their powerplay at a rate exceeding six an over — a clear early advantage the Dutch failed to capitalise on.

The Controversial Penalty — Match’s Turning Point: The most dramatic moment of this Nepal vs Netherlands match arrived at overs 36.3 and 39.2, when the on-field umpires penalised Nepal five runs twice for batters running on the pitch with apparent intent to damage it. The 10 penalty runs were added to the Netherlands’ total, meaning Nepal’s effective total was 226 rather than 236. It left the Nepal dressing room shell-shocked, but the Rhinos refused to buckle.

Aarif Sheikh’s Anchor Role: From the moment Nepal were 106/4, Sheikh took full ownership of the innings. His calculated 85-ball 84 (7 fours, 2 sixes) against some hostile bowling was the backbone of Nepal’s competitive total. He averaged a strike rate of nearly 99, rotating the strike adeptly while also finding boundaries when needed.

Captaincy Decisions: Rohit Paudel’s bowling rotation was tactically sharp in the second innings. Bringing in debutant Nandan Yadav at a critical stage and trusting Lamichhane with 10 full overs proved decisive. The decision to use Lalit Rajbanshi’s medium pace through the middle overs — where he went at under 3 per over — dried up the run flow and forced errors from the Dutch batters.

Pitch and Conditions: The Forthill surface in Dundee played true but allowed the seamers early assistance. As the match progressed into the evening, the ball got softer, making it harder for the Dutch pace attack to replicate early success. Lamichhane’s wrist spin on the slower surface was particularly effective in the final stages.

Key Stats Comparison

Metric	Nepal (NEP)	Netherlands (NED)
Total Runs	236/9 (50 Overs)	220/10 (49.2 Overs)
Run Rate	4.72	4.46
Extras	12	27 (incl. 10 penalty)
Boundaries (4s)	15	14
Sixes (6s)	3	3
Runs From Boundaries	78	74
Dot Ball %	55%	60%
Powerplay Score	37/2	61/1
Middle Overs (11–40)	132/4	112/6
Death Overs (41–50)	67/3	47/3
Top Scorer	Aarif Sheikh (84)	Wesley Barresi (36)
Best Bowler	Paul van Meekeren (4/58)	Nandan Yadav (3/39)

Nepal’s superiority in the middle overs (132/4 vs Netherlands’ 112/6) was the decisive factor. Netherlands were more dominant in the powerplay due to their head start, but could not maintain the required run rate through the middle phase. Nepal’s 27-run advantage in extras, partly driven by the controversial penalty runs benefiting the Dutch scorebook, also reflected the high-pressure nature of this Nepal National Cricket Team Vs Netherlands National Cricket Team clash.

Playing XI & Lineups

Nepal: Kushal Bhurtel, Anil Kumar Sah (wk), Bhim Sharki, Rohit Paudel (c), Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee, Basir Ahmad, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi, Nandan Yadav

Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Zach Lion Cachet, Wesley Barresi, Scott Edwards (wk/c), Teja Nidamanuru, Noah Croes, Kyle Klein, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren

Nepal made three changes from their previous XI: Sompal Kami and Gulshan Jha were ruled out through training injuries, and Aasif Sheikh was replaced behind the stumps by Anil Kumar Sah. The most significant inclusion was debutant Nandan Yadav, who became Nepal’s 42nd ODI capped player and promptly delivered a three-wicket haul on debut.

Match Statistics — At a Glance

Nepal’s 236/9 was their highest successful total against Netherlands in ICC CWC League 2
Paul van Meekeren’s 4/58 is among the most economical four-wicket hauls in the tournament
Aarif Sheikh’s 84 off 85 was his second consecutive half-century against Netherlands in the same series (he scored 78 off 99 in Match 75)
Nandan Yadav’s 3/39 on debut is one of the best debut bowling figures in Nepal’s ODI history
The 10-run penalty was one of the rarest officiating decisions seen in the ICC CWC League 2 tournament
Netherlands’ 27 extras (including 10 penalty runs) were the highest extras tally of the match
Nepal’s run rate of 4.72 was above their tournament average at the time

Expert Opinion

From a tactical perspective, this was a match Nepal had no business winning on paper after the mid-innings collapse and penalty runs. Yet two things separated the Rhinos from defeat: Aarif Sheikh’s temperament and an outstanding collective bowling performance.

Sheikh’s innings deserves special mention. He came to the crease with Nepal at 106/4, barely past the halfway mark of their innings, and handled the pressure of the controversial penalty without losing composure. His ability to farm the strike and find boundaries in the death overs — including a 36-run stand with Karan KC and a 30-run stand with Nandan Yadav — was the difference.

Bowling-wise, the combination of Lamichhane and Yadav providing identical figures of 3/39 is a statistical coincidence that underlines the balance Nepal have developed. The fact that Lalit Rajbanshi was the most economical at 2.90/over — tighter than even the specialist spinners — shows the depth in Nepal’s attack in this Nepal vs Netherlands contest.

History — Nepal vs Netherlands Head-to-Head

The Nepal National Cricket Team Vs Netherlands National Cricket Team matches have gradually tilted in Nepal’s favour in recent years. Across their five ODI meetings at the time of this match, Netherlands led 3–2. However, Nepal’s back-to-back wins in Match 75 (by 5 wickets) and Match 78 (by 16 runs) in the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two clearly demonstrated Nepal’s upward trajectory.

Match	Format	Venue	Result
Match 2 (ICC CWC League 2)	ODI	Kirtipur, Nepal	Nepal won by 9 wickets
Match 6 (ICC CWC League 2)	ODI	Kirtipur, Nepal	Netherlands won by 8 wickets
Previous ODI encounters	ODI	Various	Netherlands won (2 matches)
Match 75 (ICC CWC League 2)	ODI	Dundee, Scotland	Nepal won by 5 wickets
Match 78 (ICC CWC League 2)	ODI	Dundee, Scotland	Nepal won by 16 runs

The Nepal National Cricket Team Vs Netherlands National Cricket Team rivalry is slowly becoming a genuine contest of equals. Both sides have shown the ability to post competitive totals, and the tactical duels between their key players are becoming a regular feature.

What This Win Means for Nepal

For the Nepal National Cricket Team, this win was about much more than two World Cup League 2 points. Nepal sit in a precarious position on the ICC CWC League 2 standings, and every win is critical in their bid to qualify for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Beating Netherlands twice in the same week — by 5 wickets in Match 75 and then by 16 runs in Match 78 despite the penalty runs — sends a powerful message to their rivals: Nepal are no longer an underdog in this competition. The emergence of Nandan Yadav as a match-winner on debut, combined with Aarif Sheikh’s consistent run-scoring, gives Rohit Paudel a well-rounded squad.

For Netherlands, four consecutive losses underline a fragility in their middle-order batting and an over-reliance on Paul van Meekeren with the ball. Their bowling, while competitive, lacks the depth to defend totals against a team as determined as Nepal.

ICC CWC League 2 Standings (At Time of Match 78)

Team	Matches	Won	Lost	Points	NRR
Scotland	23	13	7	29	+0.925
USA	20	14	6	28	+0.758
Netherlands	24	13	9	28	+0.165
Oman	20	11	7	24	+0.057
Canada	23	9	12	22	−0.209
Namibia	24	9	14	19	−0.502
Nepal	16	5	9	12	−0.138
UAE	16	3	13	6	−1.000+

Nepal’s win tightened the standings race, though they still had significant ground to make up. The Netherlands Vs Nepal results in Dundee proved to be a pivotal moment in the campaign trajectory for both teams.

Conclusion

The Nepal National Cricket Team Vs Netherlands National Cricket Team Match Scorecard from Match 78 of the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two will be remembered for its drama, controversy, and ultimately, Nepal’s resilience. Overcoming a 10-run penalty, a mid-innings collapse, and the high-pressure atmosphere of a must-win game, Nepal delivered a performance that encapsulated everything their cricket team represents.

Aarif Sheikh’s Player of the Match award was thoroughly deserved, and Nandan Yadav’s debut three-wicket haul announced his arrival on the international stage. For Nepal, three wins in four games represented a meaningful run of form at a crucial stage of the tournament. For the Netherlands, the back-to-back defeats against Nepal in Dundee were a wake-up call ahead of their upcoming schedule.

The two sides are set to meet again in a T20I tri-series involving Scotland on June 16 in Glasgow — ensuring that the Nepal vs Netherlands cricketing rivalry continues to grow in intensity and quality.

? FAQs

Q: Who won the Nepal vs Netherlands Match 78 of ICC CWC League 2?

Nepal won by 16 runs, bowling Netherlands out for 220 in 49.2 overs after posting 236/9 in 50 overs.

Q: Who was Player of the Match in Nepal vs Netherlands Match 78?

Aarif Sheikh of Nepal was named Player of the Match for his 84 off 85 balls.

Q: Why was Nepal penalised 10 runs during Match 78?

The on-field umpires penalised Nepal two lots of five runs for batters running on the pitch at overs 36.3 and 39.2, with apparent intent to damage the surface.