SCOTLAND EDGE OUT NEPAL IN THRILLER
Scotland Men and Nepal played out yet another classic, as Scotland exacted revenge for their T20 World Cup defeat with a two-run win over their hosts in Kirtipur.
The last three meetings between the two sides had been decided in the final over - with two of those going to the final delivery. Today's clash was no different, ultimately decided on the penultimate delivery as Scotland secured a fourth win in their last five completed ODIs.
Electing to bat first, Scotland posted 243-8 behind a superb 62-ball 75 from George Munsey, before the rain intervened during the interval.
Nepal were left with a revised target of 221 from 39 overs following the resumption, with Brad Currie (3-43) the pick of the Scotland bowlers - holding his nerve to defend 13 from the final over as the hosts fell short, despite the best efforts of Gulshan Jha (61*).
Brad Currie said: "I felt pretty calm in knowing what I was going to deliver, everyone else was a bit nervous because they didn't have control of it, but luckily we've fallen on the right side of this one.
"It was a little bit of a changed role, in Scotland I try and get so many overs out in the powerplay on a green seamer, but that's not the case here, so happy to adapt to the conditions and deliver what the team needs.
"It's nice to get over the line, we'll enjoy this a little bit tonight but then our heads are straight onto America in a couple of days, it's a pretty cut-throat series with two games in three days twice, so there isn't much time to rest on our laurels."
Scotland looked like they were on for a much more significant total than 243 when Munsey and Finlay McCreath added 114 for the opening wicket - but Sandeep Lamichhane struck four times in quick succession as Scotland slid to 128-4.
It was hard work from there for Scotland, but Michael English (34*), Michael Leask (29) and Mark Watt (24) all made important contributions to lift their side to a competitive total.
In reply, Nepal, now chasing 221 in 39 overs, struggled to keep up with the required rate as they slid to 45-3, with Watt and Jack Jarvis combining to remove the top three.
Rohit Paudel (32) and Dipendea Singh Airee (55) dragged their side back into the game, but, when they fell in quick succession, alongside Aarif Sheikh (3), Nepal were 129-6 with Scotland in complete control.
Destructive all-rounder Jha had other ideas as he kept Nepalese hopes alive, bringing up his half-century from just 28 deliveries - and reducing the required rate to 28 from the final two overs.
That was reduced further to just 13 from the final over as Nepal took 15 from the 38th - but they fell agonisingly short as Currie closed the game out.