Muscat: Oman’s cricket team has left the door open for Namibia to potentially qualify for the Cricket World Cup Qualifier after a narrow 10-run defeat to Nepal in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 match held on Monday. The loss has delayed Oman's bid to secure an automatic spot, leaving the final top-four position in the league yet to be determined.

According to International Cricket Council, the Omanis, who currently hold 33 points from 32 matches, still need to secure at least one point from their remaining four matches to surpass Namibia, who have completed their match cycle with the same number of points but inferior Net Run Rate. If Oman fails to earn any points in their upcoming games, the two teams would be tied on points and wins, potentially giving Namibia the edge due to a better Net Run Rate.

In the match against Nepal, a pivotal 139-run partnership between Dipendra Singh Airee and Rohit Paudel helped the visitors set a challenging total of 280 runs. Oman's Shah Faisal made a notable contribution by taking five wickets. Despite a promising 158-run partnership for the second wicket between Jatinder Singh and Hammad Mirza, Oman faltered in the latter stages of their innings, finishing at 270/7.

As they look to solidify their position, Oman will now face the United Arab Emirates and The Netherlands in their final League 2 tri-series. Both upcoming opponents are aiming to refine their strategies for future competitions, with the UAE still in contention for a spot in the World Cup Qualifier Play-off by competing with teams from the Challenge League.

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in 2027 is set to feature 14 teams, with automatic qualifications based on ODI rankings and performances in various league competitions. The forthcoming matches will be crucial for Oman as they seek a direct qualification spot, with the specter of a challenging Play-off looming if they fail to secure sufficient points.