HARARE: Nepal cruised to a six-wicket victory over Papua New Guinea inHarare 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 theWorld Cup qualifying tournament and chased down the small target with 27overs to spare.

Dipendra Singh Airee and teenage leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane both tookfour wickets, before Airee hit an unbeaten 50 to ensure that Nepal wouldbecome an ODI team until at least 2022, with Papua New Guinea losing theirelite 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 defeatby the Netherlands