New Delhi [India], Feb 15: Canada off-spinner Nikhil Dutta was in the interior of waving from the bowling crease to the third man boundary, doing a Rashid Khan-style airplane celebration after getting Aarif Sheikh. Nepal's last recognized batsman departs. Behind the dark clouds of thunder and lightning in the backdrop of Wanderers Sports Club, the sun appeared to be fading on Nepal's tournament.

With 51 runs needed off 47 balls to win for Nepal, Karan KC who was yet to score was about to be joined for Nepal's last stand by 16-year old Sandeep Lamichhane, who had earlier sustained a right knee injury that played a part in not bowling his full quota of overs. The first sniff of hope that Nepal had during the final wicket stand came at the end of the 44th over against Dillon Heyliger. The medium pacer sent down a full delivery that Karan drove through the line 30 yards over the short straight boundary at long-off and into the Wanderers car park. The equation was reduced to 40 runs off last 36 balls, but it was a warning shot across the bows that Nepal was not about to lie down.

Karan was named Man of the Match, leaving Canada opener Srimantha Wijeratne's first innings century a footnote in the history book of this tournament.

Brief score- Nepal 195 for 9 (Karan 42*, Nath 41, Pervez 3-41) beat Canada 194 for 8 (Wijeratne 103*, Basant 3-34) by one wicket