Nepal Open Asian Games Cricket Campaign With Convincing Win Over Afghanistan

Nepal made a winning start to their Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket campaign, defeating Afghanistan by five wickets in their Group A encounter at Korogi Sports Park on Friday.

After Afghanistan chose to bat first, Nepal’s bowlers produced a disciplined performance to restrict their opponents to 102 for seven in 20 overs.

Kushal Bhurtel led Nepal’s bowling effort with four wickets for 21 runs from his four overs, while Lalit Rajbanshi added three wickets as Afghanistan struggled to build momentum throughout their innings.

Faisal Khan Ahmadzai and Najibullah Zadran were Afghanistan’s leading scorers, contributing 30 runs apiece. Nangeyalia Khan was the only other batter to make a significant contribution, scoring 17 from 15 deliveries.

Nepal approached the chase with patience and maintained control despite losing wickets at regular intervals.

They reached the required target with 16 balls remaining to secure two valuable points from their opening Group A fixture.

Sandeep Jora provided the foundation for the successful chase, scoring 34 from 35 balls. His innings included three boundaries and a six.

Paudel then played a crucial unbeaten innings of 33 from 32 deliveries, hitting four fours and ensuring Nepal remained on course for victory.

He also shared a 46 run fourth wicket partnership with captain Dipendra Singh Airee, who contributed 15 from 18 balls.

Afghanistan’s bowlers managed to claim five wickets during the Nepal innings. Abdollah Ahmadzai, Arab Gul and Faridoon Dawoodzai took one wicket each, but they could not create enough pressure to prevent Nepal from completing the chase comfortably.

The victory gives Nepal two points from their first match of the tournament and puts them second in Group A.

Afghanistan also have two points, but remain at the top of the group on net run rate despite the defeat, with a mark of 0.846.

Nepal’s strong opening performance gives them an important early boost in their Asian Games campaign, while Afghanistan will now look to respond in their next Group A fixture.

Courtesy: a-sports