Kathmandu, October 6

Nepal national cricket team defeated Malaysia by eight wickets for their second straight victory in the ICC World Twenty20 Asia Region Qualifier B in Kuala Lumpur today.

Batting first at the Bayuemas Oval, the hosts were bowled out for a paltry 100 runs in 19.3 overs before Nepal raced to 101-2 in 12.4 overs. Nepal had hammered Myanmar by the same margin in their first match two days earlier.

Sompal Kami and Sandeep Lamichhane snared eight wickets as the hosts failed to build partnership and lost eight wickets for a paltry 25 runs. Only openers Shafiq Sharif and Syed Aziz could score in double figures for Malaysia before the Nepali bowlers ran riot.

Sharif top scored with 49 off 37 balls hitting seven fours and two sixes, while Azil scored 13 off 15. Lamichhane was the pick of the  Nepali bowlers taking 5-20, while Kami grabbed 3-16 and skipper Paras Khadka took one.

In reply, Nepal lost opener Anil Kumar Sah (one) with just two runs on the board and Binod Bhandari scored run-a-ball 12. After the fall of Bhandari, skipper Paras Khadka and his deputy Ganendra Malla shared a partnership of 69 runs for the unbroken third wicket to take the team home without further loss.

Khadka completed his half century, scoring 52 off just 37 balls that included five fours and two sixes, while Malla struck two boundaries and a six in his 24-ball 27. After the day’s matches, Nepal are at the third position in the seven-team table with four points. Thailand lead the standing with five points, while Singapore are ahead of Nepal in superior net run rate. Malaysia are four with three, while Bhutan are next with two. Myanmar and China are yet to open their accounts.

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 T20 Qualifier, along with 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 T20 Qualifier.