KATHMANDU, Oct 1: The Nepali cricket team has given an impressive start to the Asian Games by beating the Maldives by 138 runs.
Winning both group games, Nepal has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Asian Games cricket.
Winning the toss, Nepal chose to bat first and did not have the best start.
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The innings was anchored by captain Rohit Paudel. Paudel top-scored with 52 from only 27 balls. Gulshan Jha scored 35 off 21 balls. Kushal Malla’s batting took Nepal to an impressive 212 in the allotted 20 overs.
In reply, the Maldives did not look comfortable losing their first wicket in the second ball of the innings. Abinash Bohara took three wickets in a single over, reducing the Maldives to 16 for four. Bohara was the pick of the bowlers picking up six wickets. He missed to score a hat trick twice.
Nepali bowlers continued to pile on the pressure and they kept chipping in with wickets to bowl them out for 74, winning the game by 138 runs.
Nepal will either face India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh. A draw will decide who they will play against.
