Bhurtel leads the charge with the ball
Nepal produced a disciplined bowling display to stifle Afghanistan at
Afghanistan struggled to build momentum throughout their 20 overs, eventually posting a total of 102/7. Faisal Shinozada provided some resistance with 30 runs from 33 balls, while Najibullah Zadran contributed 30 off 40 deliveries. Despite their efforts, the pair could not accelerate against a tight Nepal attack, which was further bolstered by the economical contributions of Lalit Rajbanshi. The pressure exerted by the bowlers ensured that Afghanistan remained well below a competitive par score on a surface that demanded more intent.
Nepal recover from shaky start to seal chase
The pursuit of 103 runs began in the worst possible fashion for Nepal. The turning point of the second innings arrived almost immediately, as Kushal Bhurtel fell for a duck at 0.2 overs. With two early wickets lost, the pressure shifted to the middle order to steady the ship and navigate the target against a desperate Afghanistan bowling unit.
Sundeep Jora stepped up to anchor the response, playing a composed knock of 34 from 35 balls. His ability to rotate the strike and find the boundary when necessary allowed Nepal to rebuild their innings. Supported by Rohit Paudel, who provided stability during the middle overs, Nepal successfully navigated the chase to reach 103/5. The victory highlights Nepal's resilience, as they managed to overcome the initial setback to secure a clinical win in the tournament.
