Kathmandu, February 29

Nepal faced a 22-run defeat at the hands of Malaysia in the ACC Eastern Region T20 at the Terdthai Cricket Ground in Bangkok today.

Batting first, Malaysia posted 154-6 in their allotted 20 overs before Nepal faltered in the latter stages of their innings to be all out for 132 runs with two balls remaining. Nepal lost to Malaysia for the first time in 11 years as they had not faced defeat since their six-wicket loss in the 2009 ACC Twenty20 Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Chasing a modest target, Nepal lost opener Kushal Malla (naught) and Paras Khadka (nine) with 22 runs on the board before skipper Gyanendra Malla and his deputy Dipendra Singh Airee revived innings with a 67-run partnership for the third wicket. Both batsmen scored 38 runs each with Malla hitting three fours and a six in his 33- ball knock, while Airee was a bit slow and consumed 40 balls.

Nepal needed 45 runs from 27 balls with six wickets on hand at a time when they lost Airee in the 16th over. But the middle and lower order batsmen failed to fire. Pawan Sarraf — who struck one each four and six in his 14-ball 19 — was the lone player who made significant contribution with the bat.

Sharvin Muniandy, who took three wickets in the final over, returned with 4-12 for Malaysia, while Syazrul Ezat Idrus and Khizar Hayat Durrani grabbed two each.

Earlier, star legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane took his tally to 102 wickets in Twenty20 Internationals as Nepal restricted Malaysia to 154. Syed Aziz Syd Mubarak top scored for Malaysia with an unbeaten 51 off just 35 balls hitting four boundaries and two sixes, while Mohd Anwar Arudin scored 29-ball 31 that included three fours and two sixes.

Skipper Ahmad Faiz Mohamad Noor scored 30 off 26 balls, while Aminudin Ramly contributed a quick fire 18-ball 29. Both batsmen hit two fours and a six each. Lamichhane was the pick of the Nepali bowlers taking 3-22 from four overs, while Abinash Bohara claimed 2-39 and Karan KC bagged one.

Nepal will face Hong Kong on Sunday before playing against Thailand on March 4. Nepal will wrap up the tournament with a match against Singapore on March 6. Top two teams from Eastern and Western Regions will earn berths in the Asia Cup Qualifiers in Malaysia in August and the winners will join five Test-playing nations — India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan — in the tournament proper.