KATHMANDU, March 27: Nepal lost its second match of ACC T20 Cup to Hong Kong by six wickets at TU cricket ground, Kirtipur, on Wednesday.
Electing to bat first, Nepal could score only 115/9 in allotted 20 overs. Hong Kong raced past the low total in 16.3 over losing only four wickets. [break]
Hong Kong opener Irfan Ahamed made a quickfire of 30 and his partner Waqas Barkat scored 39. Likewise, Nizkat Khan made 42 not out to help Hong Kong secure an easy win. Khan hit three fours and two sixes facing 33 balls.
For Nepal, Basanta Regmi took three wickets, while Shakti Gauchan grabbed one.
Earlier Nepal failed to repeat Tuesday’s superior performance against the Maldives, which is considered a relatively weaker side in the tournament and whom it defeated by a huge 76 runs margin.
Unlike in Tuesday’s match, openers Subash Khakurel and Pradeep Airee could not give the right kind of beginning to the Nepali innings. Khakurel departed for his individual score of 6 in the 5th over with only 16 runs on board and was soon followed by Airee, who struck 21 including three fours in his 23-ball knock. Both the openers were removed by Tanwir Afzal.
New comer batsman skipper Paras Khadka (4) fell cheaply to Nadeem Ahmed. Aziaz Khan then took the wicket of Binod Bhandari (15). Sharad Vesawkar (5) was the next go off KC Shah bowling, leaving half the Nepali battingorder being removed for 77 runs in 14.1 overs.
Nepal continued losing wickets in regular intervals, with Hong Kong bowler Ahmed returning to take two more wickets—Basant Regmi (5) and Manjeet Shrestha (7). Nepal lost its eighth wicket in Gyanendra Malla, who topscored for Nepal with 38 off 39 balls with three fours.
Shakti Gauchan who came to bat at No nine was run out for 11 that also included a huge six, while Sanjam Regmi (0) and A Bhattarai (0) remained not out. Hong Kong conceded only three runs as extras.
Nepal will next play Malaysia on Saturday.
Maldives wins
In another match played today, the Maldives stunned Singapore by five wickets. Sent to bat first at the Pulchowk Engineering Ground, Singapore scored 132 for 9 in 20 overs. In reply, the Maldives made 133/5 in 16.4 overs.
Related story
With batting collapse, Nepal loses to Uganda by six wkts
