In a thrilling final match on Friday at the Tribhuvan University (TU) Cricket Ground, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) emerged victorious, clinching the title of the Tri-Nation T20 International Series.
Chasing a target of 163 runs set by Nepal, the UAE team outplayed the host with four wickets in hand.
In the intense final match, the UAE successfully chased the 163-run target in 19.5 overs. Captain Muhammad Waseem played a pivotal role, scoring the highest with 45 runs off 22 balls, featuring seven boundaries and two sixes.
Vriitya Aravind contributed 26 runs, Aryansh Sharma added 25, Basil Hameed scored 22, Alishan Sharafu made 13, and Ali Naseer chipped in with 11 runs.
For Nepal, Abinash Bohara and Gulshan Jha took two wickets each, while Kushal Malla claimed one wicket.
Earlier, Nepal was invited to bat first after losing the toss, and they were limited to a modest total of 162 runs in their allotted 20 overs, losing eight wickets.
Kushal Bhurtel played a crucial innings, scoring a half-century with 50 runs off 28 balls, which included six fours and three sixes. Karan KC contributed an unbeaten 23 runs from 17 balls, featuring two boundaries and one six.
Dipendra Singh Airee added 20 runs from 15 balls, with one six and one four. Captain Rohit Kumar Paudel made 18 runs from 17 balls, Sompal Kami scored 13, Sandip Jora contributed 10, Aasif Sheikh added seven, Gulshan Jha scored five, and Kushal Malla made one run.
UAE’s Aayan Afzal Khan was the standout performer, taking three wickets. He was supported by Zahoor Khan and Ali Naseer, who each claimed two wickets, and Junaid Siddique took one wicket.
Nepal had showcased their prowess in previous matches, defeating both the UAE and Hong Kong in the group stage. They started the series by winning the first match against the UAE by seven wickets and the second match against Hong Kong by six wickets.
In their third match, Nepal secured a commanding victory over Hong Kong, winning by 79 runs, and followed it up with another win against the UAE, triumphing by five wickets.
The UAE’s journey to the finals saw them winning only one match. Their net run rate propelled them to the finals as they bested Hong Kong. In their first match, the UAE defeated Hong Kong by six wickets, but they faced a setback in the second match, losing to Hong Kong by 69 runs.
