Kathmandu: Nepal defeated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by a narrow margin of 1 run in a thrilling match under the Super Six stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia & EAP Qualifier held in Al Amerat, Oman, on October 12.
After winning the toss, Nepal chose to bat first and posted a total of 140 runs for six wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Aarif Sheikh led the innings with a composed 51 off 47 balls, while opener Kushal Bhurtel contributed 28 runs off 26 balls. Captain Rohit Paudel added 20 runs, and Kushal Malla chipped in with 10 runs.
For the UAE, all six bowlers picked up one wicket each, effectively restricting Nepal to a modest total.
In reply, the UAE fell just short of the target, finishing at 139 runs, one run behind Nepal. Alishan Sharafu top-scored with 58 off 40 balls, while Dhruv Parashar made a quick 32 off 18 balls. Zahid Ali contributed 11 runs.
Dipendra Singh Airee was the standout performer with the ball for Nepal, taking 3 wickets for 22 runs in his 4-over spell. The UAE required 10 runs in the final over but lost three wickets including two run-outs in a dramatic finish. Lalit Rajbanshi, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, and Sandeep Lamichhane took one wicket each.
With this victory, Nepal stands second in the Super Six points table with 4 points from 2 matches, behind Oman, which leads on a superior net run rate. The UAE sits third, followed by Japan, Samoa, and Qatar.
Nepal will next face Qatar tomorrow and Oman on Wednesday. The top two teams from the Super Six will qualify for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February to March 2026.
