Nepal´s victory in the final also avenged the defeat against Uganda during the league round of the tournament.[break]
This is Nepal´s third title in the last nine months. Nepal had won the Division 4 title in September 2012 and the ACC Trophy Elite in October 2012. Nepal had reached the final of ACC T20 Cup held in Kathmandu in April but lost to Afghanistan in the final.
As both Nepal and Uganda had already secured berths in the World Cup Qualifiers to be held in New Zealand next year before the final, the title clash was an issue of pride in which Nepal prevailed.
Chasing 152 for the title against a team that had earlier in the league round bowled Nepal out for mere 116, Nepal raced to the target with nearly 10 overs to spare as Sharad Vesawkar struck a four in the second ball of the 40th over to seal the victory and also bring up his half-century.
In the match played at the National Stadium, Hamilton, Uganda won the toss and elected to bat but was pushed on the back foot due to some tight Nepali bowling.
Nepal made no change in the squad that had thrashed Italy a day earlier, meaning the specialist pacers were not included and captain Paras Khadka opened the bowling.
After bowling a couple of tight overs, Khadka dismissed opener Arthur Kyobe. Uganda batted at a very slow pace hitting 18 runs in 10 overs. The middle order steadied the ship and lifted the run rate, with Laurence Sematimba (27), Deusdedit Muhumuza (28) and captain Davis Arinaitwe (23) all contributing for Uganda. However, Uganda accelerated the scoring only in the last few overs as frequent wickets kept Uganda under pressure. Their best over was the last bowled by Sanjam Regmi in which they hit 19 runs with a couple of sixes and a four.
Basanta Regmi and Rahul Vishwakarma each grabbed a couple of wickets while Shakti Gauchan and Prithu Baskota also claimed one each. Regmi claimed the wicket of Benjamin Musoke in the 22nd over to reach the 100-wicket milestone at the international level. A day earlier, Gauchan had also reached the 100-wicket mark.
In reply, Nepal didn´t begin well as Subash Khakurel (4), Gyanendra Malla (5) and Paras Khadka (1) fell cheaply to take Nepal to 30/3 in the 11th over.
Opener Pradeep Airee and Vesawkar then rescued Nepal´s innings with a patient 77-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Airee made 60 runs off 95 balls.
Binod Bhandari hit a four and was out for five making it 113/5 in the 31st over. Young Prithu Baskota and Vesawkar then scored the required runs without further damage. Baskota hit 24 off 19 balls.
Surrounded by a small group of jubilant fans, Nepal captain Paras Khadka said the win was unbelievable. “We worked really hard for it. And having lost the first couple of games no one gave us an outright chance but we still believed in ourselves and our ability. Everything worked in our favor and, as they say, fortune favors the brave. I feel glad. We have reached where we always wanted to," said Khadka.
"Now it is a matter of preparing ourselves even better. If we prepare really well, things are looking in good shape for us,” he added.
With the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers only eight months away, the skipper said his side would remain focused. “Before the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers, we have the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers in November in Dubai and that´s an equally important tournament," Khadka told ICC.
“I think preparation-wise, we have to have a strategic plan from now on because it is a big step - one more step and you are in the ICC Cricket World Cup. So we have to think in that perspective and hopefully, if we can get things right back home, and play against good teams and quality opponents, that´s how you develop as a player and prepare,” he explained
Disappointed Uganda captain Davis Arinaitwe was still proud of his side´s achievement. “Qualifying for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers was our primary objective when we got here, we first set our sights on trying to qualify for that tournament, so I felt that for us, that is an achievement that we can take back home," said Arinaitwe.
Meanwhile, USA beat Bermuda -- something which if it had done a day earlier would have sent it through to the World Cup Qualifiers instead of Nepal -- to finish third and remain in Division 3. Oman overcame Italy in the battle of relegated teams.
ICC president congratulates Nepal
Meanwhile, ICC President Alan Isaac has congratulated Nepal and Uganda for qualifying for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers.
After watching the final match in Bermuda, Isaac said that the final was played in the spirit of great game. “The skilful, disciplined and exciting match was a testament to the continuously improving standard and depth of cricket in Associate and Affiliate countries," said Issac in a press statement issued by ICC.
“Nepal and Uganda are now just one step away from playing in a World Cup. I´m sure they´ll quickly switch their focus and attention to the New Zealand qualifiers, try to build on their successes in Bermuda, work harder and aim to arrive fresh, ready and fully trained so that they can challenge the other teams who will be equally focused and committed," he added.
Nepal and Uganda will go head to head with eight other teams who have qualified from two other events -- the six bottom teams of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship, and Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Hong Kong, who finished third and fourth in WCL Division 2 in 2011 -- in New Zealand in January 2014.
The top two sides of the New Zealand event will progress to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 that will be held in Australia and New Zealand.
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