KATHMANDU: Nepal has advanced to the quarter-finals of the men’s cricket tournament at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as the winners of Group A. Saturday’s match against Japan ended in a no-result due to persistent rain, securing Nepal’s top position in the group.
The match was reduced to 15 overs per side due to weather conditions. Invited to bat first, Nepal posted 149 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. Following the conclusion of Nepal’s innings, rain resumed, preventing any further play. Both teams were awarded one point each, allowing Nepal to finish the group stage with three points. Nepal had previously defeated Afghanistan by 5 wickets. Afghanistan qualified as the group runner-up with two points, while Japan was eliminated.
Nepal will now face Sri Lanka in the quarter-finals. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh had already secured direct spots in the quarter-finals based on their current ICC T20 rankings.
In the match against Japan, Sandeep Jora and Lokesh Bam played aggressive half-centuries. The 24-year-old Jora remained unbeaten on 57 runs off 32 balls, hitting 3 sixes and 5 fours. This marked his fifth T20 international half-century and saw him surpass 600 runs in the format.
Lokesh Bam, 26, also scored an unbeaten 52 off 22 balls, featuring 6 sixes and 1 four. He reached his maiden T20 international half-century by hitting a six on the final ball of the last over. Opening batsman Aasif Sheikh contributed 21 runs off 15 balls.
