KATHMANDU: Nepal, already having secured a spot in the semi-finals of the ACC Premier Cup, faces Saudi Arabia today in the final match of the group stage.
The match is set to start at 11:45 am. Nepal clinched its place in the semi-finals with three consecutive victories, amassing 6 points.
In their first match on Friday, Nepal defeated Malaysia by five wickets.
Malaysia set a target of 144 runs, which Nepal achieved in just 19.2 overs.
Kushal Bhurtel led the way with 24 runs, while Arif Shaikh scored 32 runs off 35 balls. Gulshan Jha scored an impressive 19 not out in only 7 balls.
Malaysia’s innings saw them post 143 runs for 3 wickets in their 20 overs.
For Nepal, Dipendra Singh Airee and Abinash Bohara took key wickets to restrict Malaysia’s scoring.
In the second match against Qatar on Saturday, Nepal secured a 32-run victory.
Batting first, Nepal set a target of 211 runs, with a standout performance from Dipendra Singh Airee, who scored an unbeaten 64 runs.
In the final over, Dipendra made history by hitting six sixes in six balls, setting a T20 cricket record.
Nepal will aim to top their group and maintain their winning momentum as they face Saudi Arabia today.
In the third match, Nepal defeated Hong Kong by eight wickets.
Chasing a target of 115 runs, Nepal reached the goal by scoring 117 runs for the loss of just two wickets in 12.2 overs.
Asif Sheikh led Nepal’s batting with 40 runs from just 18 balls, including three fours and three sixes.
Opener Kushal Bhurtel contributed 32 runs, while captain Rohit Kumar Paudel and Sandeep Zora ensured victory with unbeaten scores of 25 and 19 runs, respectively.
Group ‘B’ includes Bahrain, Cambodia, Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.
The final match will be held on April 21 with the tournament champion earning a spot in the 2025 T20 Asia Cup.
Comment