Kathmandu, Sept 12: Nepal produced a commanding all-round performance to beat the United Arab Emirates by 44 runs and lift the ACC Premier Cup title, securing a place in next year’s Asia Cup in the process.
Setting the UAE a formidable target of 314 at Malaysia’s Biomass Oval on Saturday, Nepal showed composure with the bat before its bowlers finished the job, dismissing the UAE for 269 in 49.1 overs.
The victory sends Nepal to the Asia Cup for only the second time. Nepal had previously qualified for the continental tournament in 2023 after winning the ACC Premier Cup.
Aasif Sheikh laid the foundation for Nepal’s imposing total with a superb 102 from 106 balls. His innings featured eight fours and four sixes and anchored Nepal’s batting effort after the team opted to bat first following a successful toss.
Aasif found an able partner in Arjun Kumal, with the pair putting on 97 runs for the opening wicket. Arjun contributed 43 before the UAE struck.
Nepal maintained the pressure through the middle and lower orders. Gulshan Kumar Jha then provided the acceleration, smashing 52 from only 38 balls with four sixes and three fours. Rohit Kumar Paudel added 40, while Dipendra Singh Airee scored 18. Basir Ahmed remained unbeaten on 15, and Ishan Pandey made 13 as Nepal reached 313 for nine in 50 overs.
Ibrar Ahmed was the UAE’s most successful bowler with four wickets, while Khuzama Tanveer claimed two. Haider Ali and Adib Usmani took one wicket apiece.
The UAE began its chase with intent, but Nepal kept striking at important moments. Rahul Chopra mounted a late resistance with an unbeaten 100 from 105 balls, hitting four sixes and three fours.
Sohaib Khan also kept the UAE in the contest with 52, while Tanish Suri scored 42 and captain Harpreet Singh Bhatia made 33. Rahul and Sohaib briefly threatened to shift the momentum, adding 87 for the sixth wicket.
Nepal, though, refused to let the game slip. Karan KC led the bowling attack with three wickets, while Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi took two. Dipendra Singh Airee, Rohit Kumar Paudel, Gulshan Kumar Jha, Basir Ahmed and captain Sandeep Lamichhane chipped in with one wicket each.
The UAE eventually folded for 269 in 49.1 overs, leaving Nepal with a convincing 44-run victory and the Premier Cup trophy.
For Nepal, the result was not only about another trophy. It was a statement of its growing strength in Asian cricket. A century from Aasif, a rapid half-century from Gulshan and a disciplined bowling display combined to give Nepal a memorable title-winning performance.
With the Premier Cup crown secured, Nepal now turns its attention to the bigger stage. The Asia Cup in Bangladesh next year will offer the Nepali side another opportunity to test itself against the continent’s best.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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