Nepal thrashed the United Arab Emirates by 177 runs to retain the One Day International status for the next four years, here at the TU Stadium today.

Batting first after winning the toss in the ODI Tri-series match of the ICC Cricket World Cup League-II, skipper Rohit Kumar Paudel led from the front as Nepal recovered from a precarious position of 22-3 to post 248 all out in 49.2 overs. Lalit Rajbanshi then starred with the ball as the home side packed the UAE out for a paltry 71 runs with more than 27 overs to spare.

With their ninth victory in the last 10 matches since Indian coach Monty Desai took over the team in January, Nepal accumulated 36 points from 34 matches and climbed to fourth place. The win ensured Nepal and the United States of America places in the top five in the seven-team table and both sides retained ODI status for the next four years. Nepal moved ahead of the USA - who have 35 points from 36 matches - in the table and they are still alive for a place in the top three, which will seal their berth in the Global Qualifiers of the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Nepal will have to win the last two matches of the Tri-series - one each against the UAE and Papua New Guinea - to unseat Namibia, who are currently third in the table with 39 points.

Nepal will face PNG tomorrow before playing against the UAE on Thursday in the last match of the series. Scotland and Oman have already sealed top two positions respectively in the ICC Cricket World Cup League-II.

The top three teams will progress to the Global Qualifiers, while top five sides will retain their ODI status. The bottom four teams will get a second chance as they compete with the top two teams of the Challenge League in the World Cup Qualifier Play-off. Top two sides in the Play-off will make it to the Global Qualifiers, which will send two teams to the World Cup to be held in India later this year.

Today, Nepal skipper Paudel shared two crucial partnerships to consolidate the innings.

Nepal made a disastrous start after Aasif Sheikh (naught), Kushal Bhurtel (eight) and Kushal Malla (nine) lost their wickets cheaply.

Paudel and Bhim Sharki built the innings together with a 54-run partnership for the fourth wicket before the skipper combined with Aarif Sheikh to add 86 runs for the fifth wicket.

Paudel top scored with 77 off 112 balls that included nine boundaries, while Aasif struck five fours in his 52-ball 43.

Sharki contributed 29 off 37 balls with the help of four boundaries. Gulsan Jha and Dipendra Singh Airee then shared a 48-run partnership for the seventh wicket to help the team post a challenging total.

Jha hit a four and three sixes in his 32-ball 37, while Airee scored a quick fire 34 off 19 balls that included three boundaries and two sixes.

Aayan Afzal Khan, Zahoor Khan, Rohan Mustafa and Zawar Farid bagged two wickets each for the UAE, while Aryan Lakra and Junaid Siddiqui grabbed one apiece.

Head coach Desai's move to bring in Gulsan Jha and Lalit Rajbanshi in place of Gyanendra Malla and Karan KC paid off as the duo played key roles in Nepal's record victory in terms of runs, beating the previous best of 151-run win against the PNG in 2021. Rajbanshi made the breakthrough in the fifth ball of the innings dismissing UAE opener Vriitya Aravind (naught), while Airee trapped Lakra leg before the wickets for a naught to reduce the UAE to 6-2. The UAE came under tremendous pressure at 8-4 after Rajbanshi dismissed skipper Muhammad Waseem (one) and Sompal Kami had Asif Khan caught by Aasif in the sixth over.

UAE batters could not recover from that point and they slumped to an all-time low score in ODIs. Aayan Afal Khan was the top scorer with 29 runs. Rajbanshi was the pick of the Nepali bowlers taking 5-20 from 7.5 overs, while Sandeep Lamichhane grabbed 2-14. Kami, Airee and Jha bagged one wicket each for the home team.