Kathmandu, October 14:

Middle-order batsman Paras Khadka scored a patient unbeaten 69 runs to put Nepal in commanding position on the second day of the three-day match under ACC Premier League match against Hong Kong here at the TU Stadium today.

After dismissing the visitors for 136 runs in their first innings, Nepal scored 188/6 in second innings, and ended the day with a lead of 269 runs. Nepal had declared their first innings at 217/8 on the first day.

Nepal made a poor start in their second innings with both the openers Paresh Lohani (10) and Mahesh Chhetri (10) going out cheaply. Chhetri took 72 balls to score 10 runs while Lohani spent 41 deliveries. Both the batsmen were trapped leg before.

Hard-hitting batsman Mahaboob Alam gave some momentum with a fiery 29 off 27 balls including two sixes. As soon as Irfan Ahmed bowled Alam in the 28th over, two more wickets fell. Sarad Vesawakar was stumpped by wicketkeeper James Atkinson off Nadeem Ahmed and Gyanendra Malla was caught at slip by Roy Lamson off Najeeb Amar with 81/5 on board.

The World Cup U-19 Plate Championship star Basanta Regmi and Parash Khadka pulled out Nepal from the troubled situation putting on 57-run sixth wicket partnership. Regmi scored 15 off 82 balls before Nadeem Ahmed bowled him in the 60th over. He provided a good support to Khadka from the other end.

After the fall of Regmi, skipper Binod Das joined his deputy Khadka at the crease and guided Nepal towards comfortable position with an unbeaten 50-run partnership. Khadka’s half century included four boundaries. Das will continue the final day from 20.

For Hong Kong, Nadeem Ahmed took 3-75 off 27 overs while Najeeb Amar bagged two but was economical with 34 runs off 28 overs. Irfan Ahmed took one wicket.

Earlier, Nepal had a tough time dismissing the tailenders as Hong Kong, who resumed their first innings at 74/7, occupied the crease for 93 minutes and took the score to 136 runs, a first innnigs deficit of 80 runs.

Afzal Haider, who resumed the day on 14, added nine runs before Sanjam had him caught by Das in the 11th over of the day. Najeeb Amar started the day on eight runs and went on to score 37 before Basanta Regmi bowled him in the 21st over. Das ended the visitors’ innings when he trapped Nadeem Ahmed leg before for six. With the scalp, Das became the first Nepali bowler to take 50 wickets in the three-day version of the game.

At the end of the second day, Nepal earned a total of 11.5 points — 6.5 in batting and five in bowling, whereas Hong Kong accumulated 9.5 points — seven in bowling and 2.5 in batting.