Kathmandu, October 3

Nepal thrashed Myanmar by eight wickets in the opening match of the ICC World Twenty20 Asia Region Qualifier ‘B’ match in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.

Batting first, Myanmar were bowled out for a paltry 29 runs in 10 overs, while Nepal reached 30-2 in three overs. Nepal had previously bowled out Myanmar for 10 runs before racing to victory in three balls in the ACC Trophy match in Kuala Lumpur in 2006.

Sandeep Lamichhane was the pick of the Nepali bowlers taking 4-3 from two overs, while Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi claimed 3-3 from three overs. Lalit Singh Bhandari and Karan KC pocketed one wicket each. Only skipper Htet Lin Aung could reach the double figures scoring 16 off 20 balls that included two boundaries.

In reply, Nepal raced to the target in three overs but not before losing two wickets. Opener Pradeep Singh Airee, who made a comeback in the team after a long gap, was out for a duck in the second ball of the innings before being caught behind by Naing Tun off Htet Wai.

Anil Kuma Sah scored 11 of five balls hitting one each four and six before being trapped leg before the wicket Piang Danu as Myanmar reduced Nepal to 12-2 in 1.1 overs. Karan KC scored an unbeaten 14 off eight balls that included a four and a six, while Airee’s opening partner Binod Bhandari (one) faced just three balls.

Nepal are in East Sub-regional Group along with Malaysia, Singapore, Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Thailand. The ICC is organising a total of 12 regional qualifiers with 62 teams competing during 2018 in five regions — three groups each in Africa and Europe and two apiece in Americas, Asia, East Asia Pacific.

Top 25 sides from these qualifiers will contest in five regional finals in 2019, with eight teams going on to compete in the 2020 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, along with the six lowest ranked sides from the ICC T20I Championship.

Top three teams each in two Asian sub-regional qualifiers will advance to the regional finals, which will determine two Asian entrants to the 2020 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier.