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A major controversy broke out during the second ODI between Nepal national cricket team and USA national cricket team in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 match in Kirtipur, Kathmandu. Nepal captain Rohit Paudel was furious after losing his wicket due to a shocking umpiring decision at the crucial stage of the match against USA.
This shocking incident left not only Rohit Paudel but everyone stunned as the replays clearly showed that the ball had not even touched the pads or body of the Nepal captain before he was given LBW. However, despite the controversial call, Nepal managed to defeat the USA team by 122 runs in the ICC CWC League 2 encounter.
Big mistake revealed in replays after Rohit Paudel lost his wicket in Nepal vs USA ODI
The drama unfolded during Nepal’s innings when the hosts were in a strong position at 194/2 in the 38th over. Rohit Paudel looked strong leading his team from the front by scoring 46 runs. And that moment came when the Nepal captain attempted a sweep shot against USA spinner Milind Kumar but managed to take the ball past the wicketkeeper.
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The USA players immediately appealed and, to everyone’s surprise, the umpire raised his finger almost immediately. As television replays later emerged, it became very clear that the ball had indeed hit Paudel’s glove before going back. But Rohit was already declared out and the DRS review system was not available in the match, so he could not even challenge the call.
Rohit Paudel lost his temper after controversial out
This decision completely surprised Paudel. The Nepal captain looked angry as he had a heated argument with the umpire before breaking his bat in anger. While returning to the pavilion, he once again expressed his disappointment by pointing towards the umpire that the ball had not touched his pad but his gloves.
Rohit Paudel’s anger is understandable as this match holds immense importance in the race for qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 tournament provided an opportunity for teams like Nepal to make it to the mega event. However, only the top four teams from this tournament will advance to the next qualification stage.
There is no dearth of bad umpiring decisions during the ongoing ODI tri-series in Nepal. Add it to your list today. Nepal captain Rohit Paudel was declared LBW on a ball that never hit his pads, with USA bowler Milind Kumar’s appeal upheld on a gloved sweep of the field. pic.twitter.com/KN9PwL1s7A
– Peter Della Penna (@PeterDellaPenna) 22 May 2026
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Nepal working hard for 2027 ICC World Cup qualification
Nepal is currently placed fifth in the points table and is working hard to reach the top four. Missing out will force them into another tough playoff route and make their road to the ICC World Cup 2027 even tougher.
Despite the controversial moment, Nepal still managed to recover strongly and posted a huge score of 317/8 on the board in their 50 overs against the United States. Defending the target, Nepal made an even stronger comeback with the ball as the United States was restricted to 195 runs inside 42 overs.
For Nepal, Sandeep Lamichhane took three wickets, while Deependra Singh Airi and Gulsan Jha both took two wickets each.
The triangular series in Kirtipur also features the Scotland national cricket team. Nepal has already defeated both the United States and Scotland once each in the series and ended the tournament on a winning note after suffering a defeat against Scotland in the beginning.
