The 2023–2027 ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 marks the second edition of this cricket tournament, which is an integral part of the qualification process for the 2027 Cricket World Cup. This cycle of League 2 witnessed an expansion in the competition’s size to accommodate eight teams due to the discontinuation of the Super League.
In the previous World Cup qualification cycle, the League 2 champion had the opportunity for promotion to the Super League. However, with the Super League being scrapped, the previous League 2 champion, Scotland, continued to participate in this tournament. Meanwhile, the Netherlands faced relegation from the Super League, joining the four other top 5 finishers from the previous League 2 and two teams from the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off.
During this play-off, Canada earned promotion, while Papua New Guinea found themselves relegated to the Challenge League.
Nepal’s remarkable journey in this tournament secured them a spot in the World Cup Qualifier, which took place in Zimbabwe in June 2023. This was accomplished through a dramatic 9-run DLS (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern) win over the UAE in the final match of CWC League 2, held at Kirtipur on March 16, 2023, under extraordinary and somewhat farcical circumstances.
The UAE’s Asif Khan delivered a record-breaking onslaught towards the end of their innings, smashing a century in just 41 balls—the fastest century ever recorded by an Associate batsman. This propelled the UAE to a formidable total of 310-6. However, it wasn’t enough to thwart Nepal’s quest for victory. Nepal secured their 11th win out of 12 League 2 matches, sealing a second home whitewash before a packed TU Ground crowd. This win also allowed Nepal to leapfrog over Namibia into third place on the final table.
Contributions from various Nepali players, including Kushal Bhurtel, Bhim Sharki, Aarif Sheikh, and Gulshan Jha, played a crucial role in keeping Nepal competitive. Despite falling behind the DLS par score for much of their chase, Nepal gradually caught up, largely thanks to Gulshan Jha’s flurry of boundaries against Muhammad Waseem in the 42nd over. Twelve balls later, the growing darkness forced the teams off the field with Nepal nine runs ahead of par, much to the dismay and brief protest of the Emiratis.
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