KATHMANDU: What if Nepal had not suffered that heartbreaking two-run loss to the Netherlands? Similarly, consider what the standings would look like if Scotland, currently leading the table, had not fallen just seven runs short against the same Dutch side that has already secured its spot in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers Super Six.

At the very least, the final matches of Group B on Monday would not be this complicated. It is currently not easy to determine which two teams among Scotland, Thailand, and Nepal will join the Netherlands in the Super Six.

The Netherlands, moving forward with the goal of playing in their first-ever World Cup, secured their Super Six spot one match in advance by defeating Zimbabwe by 22 runs, alongside earlier wins against Nepal and Scotland.

However, while Zimbabwe has been eliminated, Scotland, Thailand, and Nepal, who have all played three matches each, still retain a chance to reach the Super Six. Scotland and Thailand have already collected four points with two wins from three matches. Nepal, with only two points from the same number of matches, aims to reach the Super Six by sidelining these two teams.

Therefore, Vice-Captain Puja Mahato states that the team is determined to win the match against Scotland on Monday morning at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur at any cost.

“To achieve our goal, we must defeat Scotland by a significant margin. We are fully prepared to do exactly that,” Mahato says.

Comebacks for Scotland and Nepal

Both Nepal and Scotland began their campaigns in the ongoing tournament with losses. Nepal suffered a wide eight-wicket defeat against Thailand in their first match. Two days later, Scotland entered the tournament and suffered a narrow seven-run loss to the Netherlands.

Following these results, the Netherlands strengthened their chances of entering the Super Six, while the pressure to win mounted on Nepal and Scotland. Amidst this pressure, Nepal suffered a painful two-run defeat against the Netherlands. On the other hand, Scotland managed a comeback in the tournament with a five-wicket win over Zimbabwe.

On Saturday, Nepal recorded a magnificent six-wicket victory over the same Zimbabwe team, while Scotland also strengthened their prospects by defeating Thailand by five wickets. In this process, Nepal achieved a historic milestone by defeating a Test-playing nation for the first time, but the journey through the complex equation to reach the Super Six remains.

National squad celebrating with fans at the TU Cricket Ground after their six-wicket triumph. Photo Courtesy: CAN

A simple victory against Scotland will not be enough for Nepal to secure a spot in the Super Six. Nepal must defeat Scotland by a wide margin of at least 39 runs.

Additionally, there is another condition: the Netherlands must win their final match against Thailand. Only if both these conditions are met can Nepal fit within the top three of the points table.

Currently, Scotland, sitting in second place on the points table, has a net run rate of +1.575. Thailand, also with four points, has a net run rate of -0.286. However, Nepal’s net run rate is -0.328. Due to this large gap, a win of at least 39 runs is required to push Nepal’s net run rate above Scotland’s.

Vice-Captain Mahato admits that while securing such a substantial victory is not impossible, it remains extremely challenging. However, she feels greatly encouraged by the team’s recent performance against Zimbabwe.

“Having defeated Pakistan at the U-19 level and now Zimbabwe, we have gained the confidence and courage to believe we can defeat any other team as well,” she says.

The first encounter

This is the first time Nepal and Scotland are facing each other at the senior level. However, Puja and Riya Sharma are preparing to step onto the field against Scotland for the second time. These two nations faced each other on January 20 of last year in Bangi, Sri Lanka, during a Group D match of the ICC Women’s U-19 World Cup.

In that match, the Nepal team led by Puja was defeated by Scotland by one wicket. Puja had scored 27 runs off 43 balls with three boundaries and also took one wicket in bowling. With that win, Scotland reached the Super Six. Nepal, playing in the World Cup for the first time, was eliminated from the group stage following that loss.

Puja Mahato in action during the match against Zimbabwe, where she played a match-winning, unbeaten knock of 52 runs. Photo Courtesy: CAN

The pain of that defeat still lingers for Puja and Riya. For that reason, Nepal views Monday’s match not just as an opportunity to make history, but also as a chance for revenge.

Head Coach Harshal Patel stated that victory was possible because the Nepali team has shown some improvement compared to previous matches.

“There is a strong possibility of reaching the Super Six. While this depends largely on the outcome of the match against Scotland and the performance of other teams, we must quickly address our weaknesses and approach the next game with a fresh mindset,” Patel further added.