Nepal Exits Top End T20 Series After Third Defeat, Fails to Reach Semifinals

After a 31-run defeat to the Kingsmen, Nepal has been eliminated from the semifinal contention of the Top End T20 Series. In Thursday’s match, chasing a target of 198 runs set by the Kingsmen, Nepal was bowled out for 166 runs in 19.2 overs. Kushal Bhurtel scored the highest 66 runs for Nepal, but it was insufficient to secure a win. Lokesh Bam and Anil Sah added 11 runs each, while Bipin Khatri contributed 10 runs. For the Kingsmen, Scott Kuggeleijn and Usama Mir took three wickets each. Ali Sheikh claimed two wickets, while Umar Khan and Hamad Azam took one wicket apiece.

The Kingsmen, having won the toss, chose to bat first and posted 197 for 5 wickets in their 20 overs. Shehan Jayasuriya was the top scorer with 67 runs. Shayan Jahangir scored 27, Hamad Azam made 26, Milind Kumar scored 25, and Tayyab Arif contributed 22 runs. For Nepal, Narayan Joshi took two wickets, while Rashid Khan, Pawan Sarraf, and Kushal Bhurtel took one wicket each. Prior to this match, Nepal had played four games with a balanced record of 2 wins and 2 losses, with one game remaining. Even if Nepal wins the final match, they will only reach 6 points, while the top four teams have already secured at least 8 points, effectively ending Nepal’s chances of advancing.