KATHMANDU, March 5: Nepal cricket team’s nine-wicket win over Thailand went in vain as it was knocked-out of the Asia Cup race after Singapore completed a 16-run win over Hong Kong in the ongoing ACC Eastern Region T20 Qualifiers.
Nepal needed two big wins against Thailand and Singapore after suffering humiliating defeats against Malaysia and Hong Kong in the first two matches of the qualifiers. However, unbeaten Singapore defeated Hong Kong and collected a total of six points winning all its three matches. Singapore is now guaranteed a place in the Asia Cup Qualifier in Malaysia in August.
The winner of the match between Malaysia and Hong Kong will be the second team joining Singapore for the ICC Asia Cup Final Qualifiers. Singapore will face Nepal in their last match. The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have already qualified for the final qualifiers from the western region tournament held prior to the current qualifiers.
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Kushal Malla and Pawan Sarraf blasted unbeaten 68 runs off 24 deliveries to secure Nepal’s first win in defeating Thailand by nine wickets in the seventh match held at Terdthai Cricket Ground in Bangkok on Wednesday.
Malla stayed unbeaten on 36 runs off 18 deliveries which included five boundaries and two sixes whereas Sarraf smashed two boundaries and three sixes during his 10-ball stay scoring unbeaten 27 runs to complete the chase of 72 runs in 5.3 overs.
Nopphon Senamontree picked up the solitary wicket of Paras Khadka. He outfoxed the former Nepal captain with a delivery which turned away from a stepping out Khadka. Phiriyapong Suanchuai completed the stumping. Khadka scored nine runs off five deliveries which included two boundaries.
Earlier, Thailand won the toss and elected to bat first. Wicket-keeper Suanchuai top-scored to stay unbeaten on 13 runs off 16 deliveries which included a six against Avinash Bohara in the last over of the first innings. Similarly, Henno Jordaan registered same score before losing his stumps to a Bhuvan Karki delivery who made his debut for Nepal in T20Is. Apart from the batting duo, none of other batsmen were able to reach double-digit.
Thailand was dismissed for 66 runs in 20 overs. Player-of-the-match Karan KC was pick of the bowlers registering three wickets off four overs conceding 12 runs. Similarly, Bohara chipped in with two wickets. Sandeep Lamichhane and Karki delivered economical spells scalping a wicket each. Lamichhane conceded nine runs off his four overs whereas Karki conceded six. Lamichanne delivered 17 consecutive scoreless balls and became the first man ever to bowl 22 dots in T20Is.Khadka and Kushal Malla were wicket-less in their respective two overs in the match.
