Cricket World Cup League 2: Eyes on Nepal as competition heads to business end

By Daniel Beswick

Nepal have reached a crucial jucture in their road to Cricket World Cup 2027, with a make-or-break eight-match stretch likely determining their path of potential qualification for the tournament.

Rohit Paudel's men face Oman (third in the League 2 standings) and United Arab Emirates (eighth) in the first of two tri-series from April 25 to May 5, before meeting the high-flying pair of the USA (first) and Scotland (second) from May 12 to May 22.

A strong home campaign will go a long way in their qualification quest, with a poor series likely complicating matters further.

ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 Standings

How does League 2 fit on the road to Cricket World Cup 2027?

Through 24 tri-series, the competition's eight teams play 36 one-day internationals each, with the top four at its completion moving to the Cricket World Cup Qualifier, the final step on the road to the 2027 global event.

The teams finishing in the bottom four at the end of the competition do not have their World Cup dreams extinguished - though must take an extra step to the 2027 event - the Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off.

The Qualifier Play-off, a repechage tournament, pits the bottom four teams up against the top four teams from the Challenge League, effectively the third tier of one-day cricket.

Two thirds into the current Cricket World Cup League 2 cycle, a look at the eight teams vying for the four automatic Qualifier spots.

Watch all the League 2 action live and free on ICC.tv (in select regions)

1st: USA

24 matches, 36 points (18 wins, 6 losses)

Finishing 2025 with an undefeated tri-series tour of UAE, the USA will aim to pick up where they left off in Nepal, where they also meet Scotland.

The Americans will also be buoyed by the Scots, their closest challengers for the top spot, dropping points in their recent tri-series with a defeat and two no results. It means they hold a two-point lead and four matches in hand over Richie Berrington's men.

The side have enjoyed the return of Associate super coach Pubudu Dassanayake, who also enjoyed a strong showing at the recent T20 World Cup.

The side has flourished in slow conditions thanks to the work mainly through their spin attack and a batting line-up impressively adapting to conditions.

Milind Kumar has shown his quality in particular with the bat, with scores of 70 not out, 71, 70 and 123 not out in their last tri-series taking his ODI batting average to 67.73, the highest recorded in the format (minimum 20 innings). In the final match of that stretch Kumar put on an unbeaten 264 with Sai Mukkamalla (137 not out), before taking a wicket as the Americans bowled UAE out for just 49.

The Americans boast three of the top five run-scorers in the competition in Kumar (1016) and Mukkamalla (874), as well as Monank Patel (842), though the side have found ways to win too with the ball, defending just 122 against Oman in February, the lowest total defended in Men's ODI history (not counting revised matches due to weather).

Kumar (28 wickets), Nosthush Kenjige (31) and Harmeet Singh (31) have tied down opposition with spin, while fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar, who has 35 wickets of his own in the cycle, became the first American to reach 100 scalps in the format.

2nd: Scotland

28 matches, 34 points (14 wins, 8 losses, 6 no-results)

The jokes around dreary weather following Scotland around continued in Namibia, taking away one point from a match each against Oman and the hosts. They then fell to the Omanis in another rain-affected match, though did sign off the tour with a seven-wicket win over Namibia, headlined by a cramping Brandon McMullen making his fifth ODI century.

McMullen (784 runs) moves his average to over 40 for the competition, and George Munsey remains top of the run tally (1049 at 58.27) despite efforts of 0 and 12 in their most recent tour.

At their best, the Scots possess the firepower to match anyone, including the sides they would take on if they were to qualify for the World Cup proper. The side put up the competition's highest total in history, making 380/9 in their 50 overs against The Netherlands, and the medium pace of McMullen (35 wickets) has also been immense help for the Scottish bowling cause, leading his team's efforts.

Fellow quick Charlie Cassell also made headlines, breaking Kagiso Rabada’s nine-year-old record for best bowling figures on debut in Men’s ODIs with figures of 7/21.

3rd: Oman

24 matches, 29 points (13 wins, 8 losses, 3 no-results)

A successful tour of Namibia (two wins and a no-result) has put the men from the sultanate above the Dutch, and the team led by Jatinder Singh can give their rivals in orange something to think about with another four matches to come in Nepal to set the pace.

At one point looking destined for a bottom four finish, losing the likes of Aqib Ilyas and Zeeshan Maqsood among a mass departure, the Omanis have turned things around on the 50-over side of things in the last 12 months, jumpstarting their campaign with three wins on a tour of Florida back in May 2025.

It's been a change of tack on the bowling front that has led to the Omani push, with left-arm orthodox spinner Shakeel Ahmed leading the attack and sitting in second on the wicket tally with 43 wickets at an astonishing average of just 12.58.

4th: Netherlands

24 matches, 28 points (13 wins, 9 losses, 2 no-results)

The Dutch made a strong start to their campaign, their first League 2 tilt in the new Cricket World Cup structure, though a one-win effort in the most recent tri-series in Scotland has pulled themback towards the rest of the field.

In saying that, the side have picked up points on tough overseas assignments in Nepal, Oman and Namibia, and look good value for a top four finish.

Aryan Dutt's 6/34 early in the campaign in Nepal against Namibia sent an early competition warning shot, and the side claimed a win over the hosts in Kirtipur, only underlining their status as competition heavyweights.

Scott Edwards' side claimed a victory over UAE in Oman, before going unbeaten on a tour of Namibia, albeit with two no-results.

Impeded by player availability, the team have shared the load with the bat, though Max O'Dowd has brought consistency at the top of the order, making 857 runs at a tick under 43, which included a stunning unbeaten 158* that broke Scottish hearts in Dundee on the recent tour.

With the ball Kyle Klein has stepped up, taking 35 wickets at just 19.42, while Paul van Meekeren has displayed his quality, taking his 34 wickets at just 20.26.

5th: Namibia

28 matches, 22 points (10 wins, 16 losses, 2 no-results)

The Namibians were curtailed by a no-result in the last home leg, and only able to take one victory in the three completed matches, against the Omanis to at least claw back their opponents a little in the top four race.

The Eagles still have a lot to do, six points adrift of the top four and with three of teams above them boasting four matches in hand.

The Eagles side began the campaign with just seven wins in 20 outings, though the side have made moves to evolve. The side appointed former Namibia international Craig Williams, and have taken the weight of captaincy off the shoulders of Gerhard Erasmus to focus on his batting and bowling, handing the reins to JJ Smit.

The side have youth and depth in the bowling department and boast the leading wicket-taker in Bernard Scholtz (45 wickets at 18.57), but it is on the batting side where they must find the next gear.

With such a gap, it would likely take stumbles from either the Dutch or Oman for the Namibians to nab a top four spot.

6th: Canada

24 matches, 21 points (9 wins, 12 losses, 3 no-results)

The Canadians saw Namibia climb above them on the table at least, though with four games in hand they remain in a stronger position to make a move to challenge the top four.

To do it though, they'll need to turn around their poor ODI form, having won just one match in the competition in 2025, and that too only in a Super Over against Namibia.

Responsibility has fallen on the shoulders of Harsh Thaker (637) and Pargat Singh (660), the only players in the side with over 500 runs to their name.

With the ball, Dilon Heyliger has helped their push with 35 wickets alongside Kaleem Sana (34), though the side will want more out of their spin attack. Saad Bin Zafar still has 20 wickets in 22 outings, though the left-armer averages over 38, and has a higher ceiling to reach.

7th: Nepal

20 matches, 12 points (5 wins, 13 losses, 2 no-results)

It's now or never for Rohit Paudel's men, though for inspiration the Nepalis only need to look at the last League 2 cycle, where they won 11 of their last 12 matches to sneak into top four.

A total of 16 possible points are up for collection in the upcoming double tri-series home swing, and the side should be galvanised by their T20 World Cup experience even if their 50-over form has been poor.

The side meet Oman and UAE in the first tri-series, and they need to make amends after their last tri-series outing back in November, where they lost all four matches, including two against the Emiratis

They then meet USA and Scotland in the second tri-series of their home swing, an almighty task given the sides are first and second respectively in the competition.

The player so often stepping up in a crisis, Karan KC has again provided life and inspiration in the campaign, salvaging a one-wicket win with a ball to spare in the first match of their Scotland 2025 tour, finishing with 65 not out in just 41 balls in his mission with the tail.

To this point however, a consistent performer has not put their hand up, with no Nepali in the top-15 run-scorers or wicket-takers in the competition.

8th: United Arab Emirates

20 matches, 10 points (5 wins, 15 losses)

Two wins in the latest tri-series give the Emiratis hope of carrying momentum into the second half of the campaign, though its an uphill battle for a team going through extensive change.

The Emiratis effectively gave the rest of the field a headstart with three successive defeats at home to begin the campaign back in early 2024, and little has improved with the side sitting in last.

The side has played 29 different players in 29 matches and has struggled to find continutity, though there have been glimpses, with wins over the Netherlands, Scotland and Nepal showing the potential quality in the group.

Rahul Chopra has stepped up in both wins with the bat, while the emergence of spinner Simranjeet Singh has been another positive in the campaign.

Their recent run of form in T20I cricket should also be a source of inspiration, taking part in the recent T20 World Cup and having beaten Bangladesh in a home series, just their second series win in the format over a Full Member.