KATHMANDU: Nepal has advanced to the final of the ACC Men’s Premier Cup in Malaysia after a dominant 87-run victory over Oman in the semi-final.
Nepal will face the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the title clash on Saturday. The UAE secured its spot in the final after defeating Hong Kong by seven wickets in the other semi-final.
Sent into bat after losing the toss, Nepal was bowled out for 147 runs in 45.4 overs. The team struggled early, losing four wickets for just 36 runs, but a crucial partnership between Dipendra Singh Airee, who scored 51, and Bashir Ahmed, who contributed 47, helped stabilize the total. Oman’s Hasnain Shah and J Odedra each claimed three wickets.
Chasing a target of 148, Oman was bundled out for 60 runs in 28.1 overs. Apart from Jatinder, who scored 25, and Jiten, who managed 13, no other batsman reached double figures.
Nepal’s bowling attack proved decisive, with captain Sandeep Lamichhane and Dipendra Singh Airee taking three wickets each. Lalit Rajbanshi and Rohit Paudel also picked up two wickets apiece.
The winner of this tournament will qualify for the upcoming Asia Cup, scheduled to be held in Bangladesh from June 18 to July 4, 2027.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan have already qualified for the six-team tournament as full ICC members.
