KATHMANDU, APRIL 15
In a gripping encounter at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman, Nepal secured their spot in the semi-final of the ACC Men's Premier Cup T20-2024 by defeating Hong Kong with a commanding eight-wicket victory.
Nepal, representing Group 'A' in the preliminary stage, clinched their semi-final berth with a match to spare, amassing six points to sit atop the group standings. Their journey to the semi-final saw them defeat Malaysia by five wickets in the opening match and overpower Qatar by 32 runs in the subsequent fixture.
In today's match, Nepal successfully chased down a target of 115 runs set by Hong Kong, reaching the mark in just 12.2 overs with the loss of only two wickets. Aasif Sheikh led Nepal's charge with an explosive 40 runs, featuring three sixes and three boundaries in a mere 18 balls.
Additionally, Kushal Bhurtel contributed 32 runs off 19 balls, while captain Rohit Paudel remained unbeaten on 25 runs from 20 deliveries, accompanied by Sundeep Jora, who finished not out on 19 runs off 17 balls.
Hong Kong, after being put in to bat first, posted a total of 114 runs in 17.5 overs, losing all their wickets in the process.
Anshy Rath top-scored for Hong Kong with 34 runs, supported by Zeeshan Ali (14 runs) and captain Nizakat Khan (12 runs), while Ehsan Khan contributed 11 runs. However, the team struggled as no other batsman managed to reach double digits.
Nepal's bowling attack displayed remarkable prowess, with Abhinash Bohora claiming three wickets, supported by Lalit Rajbanshi and Dipendra Singh Airee, who each secured two wickets. Karan KC also chipped in with one dismissal.
Nepal's final group-stage encounter will be against Saudi Arabia on April 17th as they aim to maintain their winning momentum heading into the semi-finals.
