Airee leads Nepal to fighting total
Nepal secured their place in the ACC Men's Premier Cup final after a dominant 87-run victory over Oman at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur. In a low-scoring semi-final, Nepal’s total of 147 proved more than sufficient as their bowling attack dismantled the Oman lineup to defend the target with ease.
Oman won the toss and opted to bowl, a decision that initially paid dividends as they restricted Nepal to 147 all out in 45.4 overs.
Oman collapse under pressure
Chasing 148 for a spot in the final, Oman’s innings never found momentum. Nepal’s bowlers struck early, removing two wickets in the opening exchanges to put the opposition on the back foot. The pressure remained relentless, with the turning point arriving when Dipendra Singh Airee claimed the wicket of Vinayak Shukla, caught and bowled, effectively breaking the back of the Oman middle order.
Jatinder Singh offered some resistance with 25 off 41 balls, supported by Jiten Ramanandi, but the rest of the batting lineup struggled to cope with the disciplined Nepal attack. Oman were eventually bundled out for just 60 runs. Airee capped off his Player of the Match performance with a brilliant spell of 3/11 from his six overs, while Sandeep Lamichhane also played a key role in the demolition of the Oman batting order. The comprehensive victory highlights Nepal's resilience and sets up a highly anticipated final in the ACC Men's Premier Cup.
