Netherlands, Nepal awarded T20 International status

ISLAMABAD: The Netherlands and Nepal have been granted Twenty20 International status at the ICC Annual Conference in Melbourne.

Both sides competed at the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh earlier this year with the Dutch bowling England out for 88 in a 45 run win in Chittagong for their only win of the Super 10 phase, Sky Sports reported.

They had earlier qualified for the second stage of the tournament with wins over the United Arab Emirates and Ireland.

Nepal also won two of their three qualifiers but a defeat against hosts Bangladesh saw them knocked out on net run rate.

The countries join Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Ireland, Scotland, Papua New Guinea and the UAE as associate members with T20 world status.

Among the other membership decisions made at the Congress, the ICC confirmed the USA Cricket Association and not the American Cricket Federation as its recognised member in the United States. (APP)