Nepal qualify for Asia Cup 2027 after winning Premier Cup final

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 12 (IANS) Nepal have earned their place in the 2027 ODI Asia Cup after winning the ACC Men’s Premier Cup on Saturday in Kuala Lumpur.

Nepal defeated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 44 runs to win the Premier Cup for the second time, as opener Aasif Sheikh starred with a century before the bowlers backed him to register a comfortable win.

This will be Nepal’s second appearance in the Asia Cup, after they were also part of the 2023 ODI Asia Cup. The 2027 edition of the tournament is set to take place in Bangladesh in the middle of 2027. The winners of the Premier Cup are guaranteed a place in the Asia Cup.

Nepal posted a strong total of 313/9 in their 50 overs against UAE in the final. Aasif was the star with the bat as he made 102 off 106 balls, with his knock laced with eight fours and four sixes.

Nepal were off to a strong start when Aasif and Arjun Kumal put up 97 runs for the opening wicket before Kumal was run out on 43. Aasif then put up another strong stand of 68 runs for the third wicket with Rohit Paudel after Ishan Pandey was dismissed for just 13, as Paudel made an impressive 40.

Gulsan Jha played a blistering knock of 52 from 38 balls and gave the fireworks needed for a strong target as he hit four sixes and three fours. Basir Ahamad gave the final touches with a four-ball 15 to push the target beyond 300.

In reply, UAE lost early wickets in a heap as they were 56/3 in 8.3 overs. Rahul Chopra smashed an unbeaten century; Sohaib Khan also hit 52, opener Tanish Suri made 52, and captain Harpreet Singh scored 33, but there were not many big knocks to chase the target down.

Karan KC was the pick of the bowlers as he scalped three wickets for 49 in his nine overs. Lalit Rajbanshi also picked up a couple of wickets, while Sandeep Lamichhane, Dipendra Singh Airee, Paudel, Jha and Ahamad all picked one wicket each in a strong victory.

–IANS

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