KATHMANDU, March 1: Nepal has been thrashed by Hong Kong by 43 runs during ACC Asia Cup Eastern Region Qualifiers match held in Terdthai cricket ground in Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday.

Earlier, Hong Kong posted a target of 155 for the loss of 6 wickets after Nepal won the toss and elected to field first. Following the target, Nepali side could score only 111 losing all the wickets in 18.1 overs.

Hong Kong's Nizakat Khan scored the highest 48 off 29 deliveries while skipper Aizaz Khan and Haroon Arshad contributed 29 and 27 runs respectively. For Nepal spinner duo Sandeep Lamichhane and Sushan Bhari took 2 wickets each while Kushal Malla sent a Honk Kong batsman to the pavilion. 

Despite a good partnership by opening the pair of skipper Gyanendra Malla and Kushal Malla, Nepal's middle-order crumbled making it difficult to reach the target. Gyanendra Malla, the highest scorer for Nepal hit 46 runs from 43 balls which comprises 4 boundaries and a maximum. Except from Kushal Malla's 19, Abinash Bohora's 12 and Aarif Sheikh's 10, no other Nepali batsmen could reach a double-digit mark. 

For his brilliant 5-wicket haul conceding 16 from 3.1 overs, Haroon Mohammad Arshad was named the man of the match. Similarly, Hong Kong's Aftab Hussain and Ehsan Khan took 3 and 2 wickets to lead their side to a comfortable victory. 

Haroon Mohammad Arshad, man of the match (Photo courtesy: ACC)

Earlier on Saturday, Nepal cricket team suffered a 22-run defeat against Malaysia during its first match in the Qualifiers.

Nepal will take on Malaysia on Wednesday. Five teams including Nepal, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong have been participating in the Qualifiers. 

 
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