MACHAN and MacLeod.

It sounds like a whisky or perhaps a couple of hard-nosed pulp fiction detectives out to clean up the mean streets of Aberdeen, one criminal at a time.

Scotland's Matt and Calum are fast making a name for themselves together, having twice in two matches now formed a partnership to steer the Saltires through tricky early overs. This time - unlike in Saturday's defeat by Afghanistan - it was a solid enough platform to carry their team to a first ICC T20 World Cup Qualifying victory.

The Scots were thankful to have moved away from their grandiose cricketing graveyard at Sharjah Stadium - they have lost there six times this year - to the happier surroundings of the ICC Academy. There, the bowlers first stifled the Nepalese batsmen and, as the day cooled off, MacLeod completed a brilliant 82 not out from 64 balls - latterly alongside his cool captain Kyle Coetzer - to steer his side to victory with four balls to spare.

Despite the closeness of the denouement - and the anxious looks of the four or five Scotland fans - it was a sensible, measured chase to victory. "It felt under control," MacLeod confirmed. "I think chasing sevens [runs an over] on a small ground, fast outfield . . . out there towards the end Kyle and myself had it in our heads, we just needed to execute what we were talking about."

Nepal were backed by their astonishing fans. Rowdy throughout, at every boundary they started screaming, running around like dafties up and down the grass bank, flapping their flags. One sharp-dressed gentleman was wearing a full suit and pointed shoes, darting and whooping along the boundary. Another bizarre line of Nepalese were crowded into the foot-wide shade of a floodlight, slowly shuffling clockwise as the afternoon sun dipped.

Scotland, though, bowling first again - albeit this time they had chosen to - finally got off to a good start, keeping the run rate at around six an over. Nepal lost early wickets, falling to 35 for three before Paras Khadka and Binod Bhandari put 47 together for the fourth. But Bhandari was first caught at the boundary - after a brilliant dive by that man MacLeod - off the bowling of Safyaan Sharif. Then, the crucial wicket.

Every Nepalese victory on the tour so far has seen Khadka explode in the last few overs. But here, frustrated, he sliced straight to third man having made just 27, where Machan took a simple catch. Gordon Goudie was the bowler and went on to finish with figures of three for 29. Sharif was the pick, though, his three scalps coming at the cost of just 4.75 runs an over.

Out to reply, MacLeod hit two quick boundaries through the gap at mid-wicket. Then another, after the Nepalese failed to plug the gap. Scotland were steady, the odd boundary spiking the run rate, but dashing between the wickets kept them within comfortable reach of the target. This despite losing Richie Berrington early on, well stumped by Subash Khakurel after collecting five runs.

Machan came out and formed that solid partnership with MacLeod that would last until the end of the 10th over. He was not to repeat his half-century of Saturday, though, given out lbw on 28 attempting to sweep Khadka, as the Nepal captain proved he is more than just a batting maverick with stingy spin. Still the Scots stayed calm. A massive six sailed into the car park. Coetzer it was, now, at the other end, and he played a steady counterpoint to MacLeod's volatility. It was what was needed as the Scots grimly battled towards victory.

With 13 needed from two overs, MacLeod smashed a six to all but clinch it; as the ball disappeared on to the roof of the glass academy, so too did Nepal's chances of winning.

"It's an open group," MacLeod acknowledged. "We've got a big game now tomorrow against Kenya, a team who we did well against in the summer. We've got good memories of them and they'll obviously carry a few scars from that so hopefully we can push on from there."