KATHMANDU: Nepal has advanced to the Super Six stage of the ICC T20 World Cup Asia East Pacific Qualifiers after securing its second consecutive win.
On Friday, Nepal defeated Japan by 5 wickets in the final Group B match and topped the group. With this victory, Nepal carries 2 points into the Super Six, while Japan, having lost to Nepal, will enter the next stage without any points.
Both Nepal and Japan had previously defeated Kuwait, but as Kuwait was eliminated in the group stage, those points do not carry forward.
From Group B, Nepal qualifies as the group winner and Japan as the runner-up. Earlier, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar had secured their places in the Super Six from Group A. The qualifying teams from Group C are yet to be determined.
In the Super Six, Nepal will play four matches—against two teams each from Groups A and C, excluding Japan. The top three teams from this stage will qualify for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 to be held in India and Sri Lanka. In Friday’s match, Nepal chased down Japan’s target of 132 runs in 18 overs, finishing with 5 wickets in hand.
Openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh provided a solid start with a 36-run stand in 5 overs. Bhurtel scored 21 runs off 21 balls with 3 boundaries before being caught out, while Aasif batted aggressively, hitting 38 runs off 21 balls with 1 four and 4 sixes before being dismissed in the eighth over.
Captain Rohit Paudel added 18 runs before falling lbw, while Sundeep Jora (5) and Kushal Malla (4) were dismissed cheaply. However, Gulshan Jha and Dipendra Singh Airee steadied the innings with an unbeaten 42-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Gulshan scored 28 off 20 balls, hitting 1 four and 2 sixes, while Dipendra remained not out on 14 off 14 balls with 1 boundary. Earlier, after winning the toss and choosing to bowl first at Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman, Nepal restricted Japan to 131 runs for 8 wickets in 20 overs.
For Nepal, Gulshan Jha and Sandeep Lamichhane took 2 wickets each, while Sompal Kami and Nandan Yadav claimed one apiece. Japan had been in a strong position at 97/1 after 12.4 overs but collapsed quickly after losing their second wicket in the 13th over. Nepal’s composed chase and disciplined bowling performance ensured a smooth passage to the Super Six.
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