Nepal, fresh off a triumphant start in the ACC Premier Cup, prepares to face Qatar in their second match on Saturday. The team’s decisive five-wicket victory over Malaysia on Friday positions them favorably as they head into this next challenge.
Match Details
- Teams: Nepal vs Qatar
- Tournament: ACC Premier Cup
- Date: Saturday (13th April, 2024)
- Time: 4:15 PM Nepal Time
- Location: Oman
Recap of Nepal’s Victory over Malaysia
In Friday’s match, Nepal successfully chased down the 144-run target set by Malaysia in 19.2 overs. Notable performances included Kushal Bhurtel (24 runs), Aarif Sheikh (32 runs), and Gulshan Jha (19 runs). Captain Rohit Paudel contributed 28 runs, Dipendra Singh Airee added 20 runs, and Kushal Malla scored 7 runs. Sandeep Jora remained unbeaten with 12 runs.
Captain Paudel also made history as the third Nepali cricketer to reach the 1,000-run milestone in T20I cricket.
For Malaysia, Virandeep Singh took 3 wickets while Muhammad Wafiq and Pawandeep Singh each claimed one.
Malaysia’s Innings
Batting first, Malaysia scored 143 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Captain Virandeep Singh top-scored with 68 runs, followed by Sharvin Muniandy with 41 runs. Nepalese bowlers Dipendra Singh Airee and Abinash Bohora took 2 and 1 wickets respectively.
Nepal’s next Group A matches in the Premier Cup will be against Hong Kong on April 15th and Saudi Arabia on April 17th. Group B includes Bahrain, Cambodia, Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The top two teams from each group will progress to the semifinals, with the final match scheduled for April 21st. The overall winner of the ACC Premier Cup will secure a spot in the T20 Asia Cup 2025.
