Cricket: What next for UAE and Nepal with ODI status secured?

Even as the Cricket World Cup Qualifier rages on in Zimbabwe, two things are clear: neither the UAE nor Nepal will play in the sport's flagship tournament to be held in England next year, and they are both officially classified as one-day international teams.

While the UAE managed to retain their ODI status, Nepal achieved the landmark for the first time in their history. This is obviously the good news for both sides as it means they will receive much-needed funds from the International Cricket Council, the game's global governing body, to develop the sport in their respective countries.

But as the UAE have learnt over the past four years, that does not guarantee long-term success. There are other challenges that need addressing, one of which is getting them to play more matches and gaining more exposure against the world's elite teams.

In this edition of Extra Time, Assistant Sports Editor Chitrabhanu Kadalayil speaks with staff writer Paul Radley, who was in Zimbabwe to follow the UAE's progress. There are also conversations with UAE coach Dougie Brown and former Nepal captain Binod Das, who provided plenty of insight on the road ahead for their teams.

Also, what do they think about the prospects of a UAE-Nepal series? Listen in.