Kathmandu, February 5:

Skipper Tamoor Sajjad scored second consecutive half century (72) as Qatar registered a remarkable win against Hong Kong in the last-ball thriller here at ACC U-17 Elite Cup Group ‘A’ match. In other matches, the United Arab Emirates beat Bahrain by 73 runs in Group ‘A’ and Malaysia defeated Kuwait by seven wickets in Group ‘B’.

Needing five runs to win from the last ball, No 8 batsman Jahangir Ehsan (23) struck a staight six off Michell Grae Abernethy to hand Qatar their first win. Qatar lost their first match against hosts Nepal on Wednesday.

Qatar scored 177-9 in reply to Hong Kong’s 175-6 in 40 overs. Electing to bat first at the TU Stadium, Hong Kong’s total came with major contributions from five players. Mohammad Aiaz Khan remained not out on 29 and his 21-ball innings inlcuded two sixes and one four. Sunny Bhimsaria (24), Sharif Haider Ali (23), Nizakat Khan (22) and Michell Abernethy (21) also contributed useful runs. Skipper Sajjad and Rahul Ramesh claimed two wickets each for Qatar.

Qatar were reeling at 29-3 in the 11th over but skipper Sajjad held the batting together with the fourth-wicket stand of 35 with Rauf (six) and sixth-wicket partnership of 46 with Talal Kahan (21). When Sajjad, dropped on 28 at long on, was adjudged leg before to Uwaise Ur Rahman, Qater needed 53 from 36 balls with four wickets remaining. Man of the match Sajjad, who scored 72 against Nepal, hit seven fours and two sixes in his 87-ball knock.

In a dramatic last over, Qatar needed 11 runs to win with two wickets in hand. They scored six runs in the first four balls with Eshan scoring five of those including a boundary. In a bid to bring Eshan to face the last ball, Sulaiman Khan (naught) sacrificed his wicket running at the other end. Thankfully, Eshan struck a six to the disbelief of the Hong Kong. Eshan hit two sixes and as many fours in his 12-ball cameo.

At the Pulchowk Engineering College, the UAE scored 223-6 and dismissed Bahrain for 150 in 33.1 overs. Man of the match Venkata Krishnan Bargav fell five runs short of a century while Reuben Zai Abraham made 50. In reply, Sameer Yousuf top scored for Bahrain with 55 while Samuel Viegas made 39. Muhhamad Salar Waqor took four wickets for UAE.

At the Army School grounds, Kuwait were bundled out for 63 in 23 overs with man of the match Pavithren Nadaesan (5-14) completing the five wicket haul. Malaysia overcame the total for the loss of three wickets in 16 overs.