Ireland's bowlers produced a superb display to save the batters' blushes as they finished the Quadrangular Series with a 16-runs win in Muscat.

Defending 127, the Irish attack responded to the challenge with the recalled Barry McCarthy (2-15) and Andy McBrine (2-13) giving the selectors a welcome headache.

McCarthy set the tone with a maiden in his first over, followed by the breakthrough with the first ball of his second over.

Barry McCarthy bowling Pic Peter Della Penna

McBrine, playing his 100th match for Ireland, had a day to remember too, suffocating the Nepalese middle-order, his two wickets taking his overall tally to 99 wickets.

There was to be no respite for Nepal, looking to clinch their first win in the format against a Full Member, as Mark Adair (2-24) and Simi Singh (2-23) also picked up a brace, while the other wicket was taken by Curtis Campher (1-23) as Nepal ended 16 runs adrift on 111 for 9.

It was very much an opportunity missed by Nepal, buoyed by the wicket of Paul Stirling in the first over, followed quickly in the power-play by Gareth Delany and Andy Balbirnie.

The Irish middle-order struggled to get any fireworks going, but chipped away with George Dockrell top scoring with 28, and Curtis Campher getting a run-a-ball 20.

127 shouldn't have been enough, but a near faultless fielding display backed up the bowlers, and got their side off the hook.

“It was probably our worst batting display in the competition," said skipper Andy Balbirnie afterwards.

"It was a good wicket and we weren’t too disappointed to be batting first.

"We’ll need to have a look at ourselves before the Qualifier starts on Friday – but the fight we showed with the ball against a good Nepal team is a confidence boost for us.

“McCarthy and McBrine played brilliantly today. That’s what we want to build – a competitive squad where when someone comes in they make it difficult for the player who went out to get back in.

"That’s a healthy position to be in, it’ll be a tough selection meeting ahead of the first game in the Qualifier, but that’s a good thing to have.”

Despite the win. the UAE pipped the Irish to the Quadrangular Series trophy, and it's the Emiratis whom the Irish will play in the T20 World Cup Qualifiers on Friday.