In a thrilling match on home turf, Nicholas Kirton's unbeaten 73 runs and Dilon Heyliger’s remarkable five-wicket performance propelled Canada to a commanding 103-run victory over Nepal in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2. This victory marks Canada’s first one-day international (ODI) at home in 11 years, and their maiden ODI win against Nepal.
Kirton, coming in at fifth in the batting order, smashed six sixes and three fours during his 44-ball stand, helping Canada, ranked 19th, secure a total of 253 for eight. His efforts were crucial as the team was struggling at 136 for five after 38 overs. In the final 12 overs, Canada managed to add 117 runs. Nepal’s chase faltered early, and they were bowled out for 150 runs in the 41st over. Heyliger’s five-wicket haul, his first in Canadian colours, came at a cost of only 31 runs in 10 overs.
Karan KC, coming in at number 10, led Nepal’s lacklustre batting with 27 runs, while Sandeep Lamichhane added 22 runs from the eighth position. However, Nepal's efforts were not enough to challenge Canada’s total.
The victory saw Canada overtake Scotland, climbing to second place in the eight-team World League 2 standings with a 5-4-0 record. Nepal, on the other hand, slipped to seventh place with a 1-4-0 record. The Dutch, currently ranked 14th, lead the standings with a 6-2-0 record.
Teams in World League 2 are slated to play 36 ODIs in a series of nine triangular tournaments, concluding in December 2026. The top four teams will advance to a World Cup qualifier that will determine the final four spots in the expanded 14-team Cricket World Cup, set to take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Canada's men’s team regained ODI status in April 2023, having finished in the top four of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff in Bermuda. In Monday’s match, Nepal won the toss and elected to field. Although Canada lost Aaron Johnson early for just 10 runs, opener Navneet Dhaliwal stabilised the innings with 48 runs from 90 balls. Contributions also came from Heyliger with 30 runs and Harsh Thaker, who chipped in with 27.
Upcoming fixtures will see Nepal face Oman on Wednesday, with Canada playing against Oman on Friday, followed by matches against Nepal on Sunday and Oman once again on September 26. After these 50-over matches, the teams will compete in a series of T20 games.
Earlier this year, Canada swept all four games in the opening tri-series of World League 2 against Scotland and the UAE. However, in August, they faced setbacks, losing four consecutive matches to the U.S. and the Netherlands. These losses followed the GT20 Canada tournament, which was held in Brampton, Ontario, leading the team to battle jet lag and adjust from the shorter 20-over format back to the 50-over game.
Canada, which made its T20 World Cup debut in the U.S. and West Indies this summer, is now aiming for a return to the 50-over World Cup for the first time since 2011, having missed out on the past three tournaments. The Canadian team also participated in the 1979, 2003, and 2007 World Cups, exiting after the group stage each time.