Nepal’s hopes of qualifying for the ACC Emerging Teams T20 Asia Cup were dashed after a 4-wicket defeat to Hong Kong in the third-place match of the ACC Premier Cup 2024. This marks the second missed opportunity for Nepal, having earlier fallen short in the semifinals against the UAE.
The loss to Hong Kong means Nepal won’t join the UAE and Oman, who secured their spots in the Asia Cup after reaching the finals of the ACC Premier Cup. These two teams will now compete against the A teams of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan in the prestigious tournament.
In the third-place match, Hong Kong successfully chased down Nepal’s target of 140 runs with 6 wickets and 0.3 overs to spare. Anshuman Rath led the charge for Hong Kong with an unbeaten knock of 65 runs off 50 balls.
Batting first, Nepal could only muster 139 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. Dipendra Singh Airee’s 44 runs off 29 balls provided some late impetus for Nepal. However, Hong Kong’s bowlers, particularly Ayush Shukla (3 for 17), kept the scoring in check.
Nepal’s disappointing end to the ACC Premier Cup 2024 comes after a promising group stage performance where they topped Group A. Despite their semifinal loss, the team had another chance to qualify through the third-place playoff, but Hong Kong proved too strong.
Nepal will now shift its attention to a five-match T20 home series against West Indies A, starting next Saturday.
