KATHMANDU: The Nepal national cricket team have posted a run target of 181 runs to Pakistan in their first match of the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup being held at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium Academy Ground No 2 in Cox Bazaar, Bangladesh on Monday.

Nepal had to struggle hard but, successfully made 180 runs as the first innings came to the end.

Ghulam Mudassar and Osama Mir brought bad news to Nepal as Mudassar took opening batsman Gyanendra Malla's wicket at 4.6 overs and Sagar Pun's wicket at 6.4 overs.

Malla made two runs from 18 balls while Pun made four runs out of four balls.

Binod Bhandari also lost his wicket to Mudassar at 47.6 overs ending Bhandari and Arif Sheikh's partnership at 40 off 53 balls.

Mudassar took another two consecutive wickets of Sushan Bhari and Sandeep Lamichhane at 49.5 and 49.6 overs respectively concluding the innings.

Mir also took two consecutive wickets; Dhamala at 37.4 overs and Mahaboob Alam at 37.5 overs.

Dipendra Singh Airee's back-to-back 4s in three consecutive balls had given Nepal a hope but he failed to sustain his position.

He went back to the pavilion after he got caught in an lbw (leg before wicket) at 14.3 overs in Bilal Asif's ball. Airee made 14 out of 29 balls.

Sunil Dhamala and Sharad Vesawkar maintained a stable partnership and led Nepal to a half-century in the 17th over and a century in the 33rd over. They made 79 runs off 139 balls.

Vesawkar contributed 38 runs for the team before Zafar Gohar caught his shot mid-air at 39.1 overs, ending the highest partnership of the innings.

Arif Sheikh (not out) made 14 runs off 24 balls.

Earlier, Pakistan had won the toss and elected to bat first.

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