KATHMANDU, March 2: Nepal cricket team lost 10 wickets for 69 runs succumbing to a 43-run defeat against Hong Kong during the ongoing ACC Asia Cup Eastern Region Qualifiers being held in Terdthai Cricket Ground in Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday.

Nepal suffered its second loss in a row after suffering a 22-run defeat against Malaysia in the first match on Saturday. 

With two defeats in two days, Nepal need to win the rest of the two matches, against Thailand and Singapore, with a good margin and wait for other results in the group to entertain any chances of qualifying for the next round of the Asia Cup qualifiers.

Chasing a target of 155 runs, Nepal raced to 42 runs for no loss in 4.3 overs before losing the first wicket of Kushal Malla who scored 19 runs. 

The new opening batsmen, who bagged a duck against Malaysia, faced 14 deliveries and smashed three boundaries. 

However, Nepal kept losing wickets in quick-intervals after the first wicket partnership.

At one stage, Nepal lost four wicket in space of nine runs folding out for 111 runs in 18.1 overs. 

Nepal captain Gyanendra Malla held an end of the innings with 46 runs off 43 deliveries which included four boundaries and a six. 

Apart from both Malla, Aarif Sheikh’s 10 runs and number XI batsman Avinash Bohara’s 12 runs were the only other double-digit scores.

Paras Khadka’s horror run with the bat continued with a seven-ball four runs. Similarly, vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee, Pawan Sarraf, veteran Binod Bhandari and Karan KC contributed 5, 1, 5 and seven runs respectively.

Haroon Arshad was the destroyer-in-chief registering his first five-wicket-haul in T20I cricket. 

The player-of-the-match wreaked havoc in Nepali batting camp claiming the wickets of Kushal Malla, Aarif, KC and Sandeep Lamichhane for a duck. Similarly, Aftab Hussain removed the important wickets of Gyanendra Malla, Sarraf and Bhandari to break the back of the Nepal chase. 

Likewise, Ehsan Khan continued his golden run against Nepal with a couple of wickets of Khadka and Airee.

Earlier, Nepal won the toss and invited Hong Kong to bat first. Opening batsman Nizakat Khan missed his half-century by two runs. He smashed six boundaries and two sixes during his 29-ball stay. He shared an opening partnership of 58 runs with Shahid Wasif who chipped in with 23-ball 26 runs which included three boundaries and a six.

Likewise, captain Aizaz Khan and Haroon Arshad contributed 29 and 27 runs off 20 and 22 deliveries respectively to help Hong Kong put up a score of 154 runs for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs.

Sandeep Lamichhane and Susan Bhari shared two wickets each whereas Kushal Malla chipped in with a wicket. AIree enforced a run-out of Aizaz.

In the other match of the day, Malaysia completed the chase of 86 runs in 11.5 overs for the loss of two wickets to make it two wins in two matches of the qualifiers. Thailand won the toss and elected to bat first before scoring 85 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 20 overs.

 
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