HARARE, MAR 16 (DNA) – Nepal cruised to a six-wicket victory over Papua New Guinea in Harare on Thursday to claim one-day international status for the first time.

Nepal bowled out their opponents for only 114 in a play-off game at the World Cup qualifying tournament and chased down the small target with 27 overs to spare.

Dipendra Singh Airee and teenage leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane both took four wickets, before Airee hit an unbeaten 50 to ensure that Nepal would become an ODI team until at least 2022, with Papua New Guinea losing their elite status.

Nepal were in the World Cricket League Division Five as recently as 2010, while their cricket association has been suspended by the ICC since 2016, although the ban doesn´t affect on-field matters.

The other play-off game saw Hong Kong lose their ODI place after a defeat by the Netherlands