KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 18

Nepal began the Dabur Honey Nepal T20I Triangular Series campaign with a seven-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates here at the Mulpani Cricket Ground today.

Batting first, the UAE posted 140-7 in their allotted 20 overs before the home team reached 144-3 with seven balls to spare.

Skipper Rohit Paudel scored an unbeaten half century in the first-ever T20I match played at Mulpani, which got the ODI status on April 29 when it hosted the ACC Premier Cup semi-final match between the UAE and Oman.

Chasing a modest target, Nepal lost three wickets for 51 runs inside nine overs. Kushal Bhurtel was the first to be dismissed, caught by Ali Naseer off Nilansh Keswani, for runa-ball 14, while Kushal Malla (11) was run out in the seventh over. Another opener Aasif Sheikh struck two fours and a six in his 27-ball 23 before handing a catch to UAE skipper Mohammad Waseem off Ali Naseer.

Skipper Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee then took the team home without further loss. They added 93 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket as the home team got off to the mark in style. Playerof-the-match Paudel, who hit the winning boundary in the penultimate over, remained unbeaten on 51 off 40 balls that included five fours, while Airee scored a quick fire 23- ball 34 not out with the help of three boundaries and a six.

Earlier, the UAE posted a fighting total riding on a half century from Basil Hameed.

Sompal Kami dismissed opener Khalid Shah for a duck in the sixth ball of the match, while Karan KC had Alishan Sharafu (six) caught behind by Aasif Sheikh in the first ball of the fourth over. Gulsan Jha struck twice in the space of 16 runs to reduce the visitors to 52-4. Skipper Muhammad Waseem (17) was caught by Bhurtel, while Sundeep Jora took a catch to dismiss Asif Khan (15) as Jha took one each wicket in his first two overs.

Ali Naseer and Basil Hameed revived the innings adding 56 runs for the fifth wicket before Karan KC separated the pair. KC had Naseer caught by skipper Paudel for 30-ball 32 that included three boundaries and a six.

Hameed and Mohammad Faraazuddin added 24 runs for the sixth wicket before the UAE lost two wickets in the space of two runs.

KC removed Faraazuddin (naught) before Abhinash Bohara dismissed Hameed in the first ball of the last over.

Hameed scored 51 off 38 balls that included a four and four sixes. KC returned with 3-19 from four overs, while Jha took 2-11 from three overs. Kami (1- 21) and Bohara (1-38) claimed one wicket each.

Nepal will play against Hong Kong on Thursday and October 21. Nepal will then take on the UAE on October 23. Hong Kong and the UAE will play against each other on October 22 and October 25.

Top two teams after the double round robin league will advance to the final slated for October 27 at the TU Stadium.

All six league round matches will be played at the Mulpani Cricket Ground.

A version of this article appears in the print on October 19, 2023, of The Himalayan Times