Introduction
The Nepal national cricket team vs Scotland national cricket team timeline is a fascinating story of close finishes, changing momentum, and competitive battles between two strong associate cricket nations.
Their rivalry has produced some memorable matches. Nepal and Scotland have met in World Cup qualification tournaments, ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, T20I cricket, and the 2026 T20 World Cup.
The contest has become especially exciting since 2022, with several matches decided by only a few runs or wickets. Nepal have also made a strong comeback in recent years, including important victories in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
In this article, we will cover the complete timeline, major matches, recent results, ODI and T20I records, and the overall head-to-head picture.
Nepal vs Scotland Cricket Timeline: At a Glance
The rivalry can broadly be divided into different phases:
- 2015: Scotland won both matches in the World Cricket League Championship.
- 2018: Scotland defeated Nepal in the ICC World Cup Qualifier.
- 2022: The teams began playing each other regularly in ICC Cricket World Cup League 2.
- 2023: Nepal won two important home matches against Scotland.
- 2024: Nepal won another League 2 match, while one game was abandoned.
- 2025: The rivalry became extremely close, with several thrilling ODI and T20I contests.
- 2026: Nepal beat Scotland in the T20 World Cup and also won an ODI in May, after Scotland had taken the earlier ODI by two runs.
2015: Scotland Start the Rivalry on Top
The earlier meetings between Nepal and Scotland came during the ICC World Cricket League Championship in July 2015.
Scotland won both matches.
July 29, 2015
- Scotland: 235/7
- Nepal: 232/5
- Result: Scotland won by 3 runs
- Venue: Cambusdoon New Ground
It was a very close contest. Nepal came within three runs of Scotland’s total.
July 31, 2015
- Scotland: 167/10
- Nepal: 111/1
- Result: Scotland won by 9 wickets
Scotland therefore completed a 2-0 result in the two-match series.
2018: Scotland Win a World Cup Qualifier
The teams met again on March 8, 2018, during the ICC World Cup Qualifiers.
Match Result
- Nepal: 149 all out
- Scotland: 153/6
- Result: Scotland won by 4 wickets
- Venue: Queens Sports Club
Scotland again had the upper hand, extending their advantage in the early phase of the rivalry.
2022: The Rivalry Becomes a Regular Contest
The year 2022 marked an important turning point.
Nepal and Scotland played four ODI matches in ICC Cricket World Cup League 2.
July 13, 2022
- Nepal: 146/5
- Scotland: 144 all out
- Nepal won by 5 wickets
This was Nepal’s first win over Scotland in their 2022 League 2 meetings.
July 17, 2022
- Nepal: 128 all out
- Scotland: 130/2
- Scotland won by 8 wickets
Scotland responded strongly in the second match.
December 4, 2022
- Nepal: 137 all out
- Scotland: 143/7
- Scotland won by 3 wickets
December 8, 2022
- Nepal: 119 all out
- Scotland: 121/2
- Scotland won by 8 wickets
Scotland finished 2022 with a 3-1 advantage over Nepal in their four League 2 meetings.
2023: Nepal Make a Strong Comeback
The 2023 meetings produced a dramatic reversal.
Nepal hosted Scotland in February for two ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 matches.
February 17, 2023
- Scotland: 274/9
- Nepal: 275/7
- Nepal won by 3 wickets
Nepal successfully chased a huge target of 275.
February 21, 2023
- Scotland: 212 all out
- Nepal: 213/8
- Nepal won by 2 wickets
Nepal completed another successful chase.
The back-to-back victories were significant because Scotland had dominated the rivalry during much of the earlier period.
2024: Nepal Continue Their Winning Run
Nepal and Scotland met twice in the 2024 ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 cycle.
October 29, 2024
- Scotland: 154 all out
- Nepal: 157/5
- Nepal won by 5 wickets
Nepal comfortably completed the chase with five wickets remaining.
November 4, 2024
The next meeting did not produce a result.
- Nepal: 26/1
- Match abandoned
- Venue: Grand Prairie Stadium, Texas
Therefore, there was no winner in this encounter.
2025: One of the Most Competitive Years
The Nepal vs Scotland rivalry became even tighter in 2025.
The teams played ODI and T20I cricket, producing several dramatic finishes.
June 2, 2025 – ODI
- Scotland: 296/7
- Nepal: 297/9
- Nepal won by 1 wicket
Nepal pulled off a thrilling chase with just one wicket remaining.
June 8, 2025 – ODI
- Scotland: 323/6
- Nepal: 321 all out
- Scotland won by 2 runs
This was one of the closest matches in the rivalry.
Scotland defended their total by only two runs.
June 17, 2025 – T20I
- Scotland: 97 all out
- Nepal: 98/8
- Nepal won by 2 wickets
Nepal again won a close chase.
June 20, 2025 – T20I
- Scotland: 193/5
- Nepal: 159 all out
- Scotland won by 34 runs
The two teams therefore split their two T20I matches in the 2025 Scotland tri-series.
2026: Nepal Beat Scotland at the T20 World Cup
The 2026 T20 World Cup added another important chapter to the rivalry.
February 17, 2026
- Scotland: 170/7
- Nepal: 171/3
- Nepal won by 7 wickets
- Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Nepal chased down Scotland’s 170 with three wickets remaining in hand and 4 balls left.
This was Nepal’s second T20I victory against Scotland and came on one of the biggest stages in international cricket.
2026: Scotland Win a Thriller by Two Runs
The teams met again in May 2026 during ICC Cricket World Cup League 2.
May 12, 2026
- Scotland: 243/8
- Nepal: 218/7
- Scotland won by 2 runs (DLS method)
Despite Nepal’s strong effort, Scotland held on for a narrow victory.
The match showed once again how evenly matched these teams had become.
May 18, 2026: Nepal Strike Back
Just six days later, Nepal had the perfect response.
Match Result
- Scotland: 194 all out
- Nepal: 199/4
- Nepal won by 6 wickets
- Venue: Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur
Nepal chased the target in 38.1 overs.
This victory gave Nepal a 2-1 result across their two 2026 ODI meetings at that point when considering the preceding May 12 contest and the wider recent head-to-head sequence.
Nepal vs Scotland Head-to-Head Record
There is an important statistical distinction when looking at the rivalry.
The older 2015 and 2018 matches were played in World Cricket League/World Cup Qualifier competitions and are often separated from the modern ODI head-to-head databases. The modern ODI record beginning in 2022 currently contains 12 completed/official ODI meetings, with one additional match abandoned in 2024 included in the overall timeline.
Modern ODI Head-to-Head
- Matches: 12
- Nepal wins: 6
- Scotland wins: 5
- No result: 1
- Nepal’s highest score: 321
- Scotland’s highest score: 323
Nepal therefore hold a narrow advantage in the modern ODI head-to-head.
T20I Head-to-Head
The teams have played 3 T20Is:
- Nepal wins: 2
- Scotland wins: 1
- No result: 0
Nepal’s highest T20I score against Scotland is 171, while Scotland’s highest is 193.
Key Matches in Nepal vs Scotland Timeline
| Date | Format/Competition | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 29, 2015 | World Cricket League Championship | Scotland | Won by 3 runs |
| Jul 31, 2015 | World Cricket League Championship | Scotland | Won by 9 wickets |
| Mar 8, 2018 | World Cup Qualifier | Scotland | Won by 4 wickets |
| Jul 13, 2022 | CWC League 2 | Nepal | Won by 5 wickets |
| Jul 17, 2022 | CWC League 2 | Scotland | Won by 8 wickets |
| Dec 4, 2022 | CWC League 2 | Scotland | Won by 3 wickets |
| Dec 8, 2022 | CWC League 2 | Scotland | Won by 8 wickets |
| Feb 17, 2023 | CWC League 2 | Nepal | Won by 3 wickets |
| Feb 21, 2023 | CWC League 2 | Nepal | Won by 2 wickets |
| Oct 29, 2024 | CWC League 2 | Nepal | Won by 5 wickets |
| Nov 4, 2024 | CWC League 2 | No Result | Match abandoned |
| Jun 2, 2025 | CWC League 2 | Nepal | Won by 1 wicket |
| Jun 8, 2025 | CWC League 2 | Scotland | Won by 2 runs |
| Jun 17, 2025 | T20I | Nepal | Won by 2 wickets |
| Jun 20, 2025 | T20I | Scotland | Won by 34 runs |
| Feb 17, 2026 | T20 World Cup | Nepal | Won by 7 wickets |
| May 12, 2026 | CWC League 2 | Scotland | Won by 2 runs, DLS |
| May 18, 2026 | CWC League 2 | Nepal | Won by 6 wickets |
The results above show a rivalry that has become much more balanced in the modern era.
Biggest Talking Points From the Rivalry
1. Scotland Dominated the Early Years
Scotland won the first five recorded meetings from 2015 through 2018.
That gave Scotland a clear advantage in the early history of the fixture.
2. Nepal Changed the Momentum
Nepal’s two wins in February 2023 were a major turning point.
They showed that Nepal could compete strongly against Scotland in 50-over cricket.
3. Close Finishes Have Become Common
The rivalry has produced several extremely tight results:
- Nepal won by 1 wicket in June 2025.
- Scotland won by 2 runs in June 2025.
- Scotland won by 2 runs via DLS in May 2026.
- Scotland won by 3 runs in 2015.
- Nepal won by 2 wickets in February 2023.
4. Nepal Have the Recent Edge
Nepal have won several of the most important recent encounters, including the 2026 T20 World Cup match.
Their ability to chase targets has also been a recurring feature of the rivalry.
Conclusion: Nepal vs Scotland Rivalry Verdict
The Nepal national cricket team vs Scotland national cricket team timeline has developed from an early Scotland-dominated contest into one of the more competitive rivalries in associate international cricket.
Scotland controlled the early meetings, but Nepal gradually closed the gap. Since 2023, Nepal have produced several impressive victories, while Scotland have continued to respond with narrow wins of their own.
The statistics tell the story clearly: the modern ODI rivalry is almost evenly balanced, while Nepal currently lead the T20I head-to-head 2-1.
With both teams continuing to compete in major ICC events and qualification tournaments, the Nepal vs Scotland rivalry should produce many more memorable matches.
FAQs
1. When did Nepal and Scotland first play cricket against each other?
Nepal and Scotland played each other in the ICC World Cricket League Championship in July 2015.
2. Who has won more modern ODI matches between Nepal and Scotland?
In the modern ODI head-to-head record, Nepal have won 6 matches and Scotland 5, with one no-result.
3. Who won Nepal vs Scotland at the 2026 T20 World Cup?
Nepal won by 7 wickets after chasing Scotland’s 170/7 with 171/3.
4. What was the closest Nepal vs Scotland match?
Several matches have been extremely close. Scotland won by 2 runs against Nepal in June 2025 and again by 2 runs via the DLS method in May 2026.
5. How many T20Is have Nepal and Scotland played?
They have played 3 T20Is, with Nepal winning 2 and Scotland winning 1.
