Afghanistan vs Nepal: Nepal Need 17 Runs from 27 Balls After Afghanistan Post 102/7
Nepal were in a strong position in their Asian Games 2026 Group A match against Afghanistan after restricting their opponents to 102/7 in 20 overs at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin.
Chasing 103, Nepal reached 86/4 after 15.3 overs and needed only 17 runs from 27 balls to secure victory. Captain Rohit Paudel was unbeaten on 19, while Dipendra Singh Airee was batting on 14.
Afghanistan restricted to 102/7
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first but struggled to build momentum against Nepal's disciplined bowling attack.
Faisal Shinozada and Najibullah Zadran were the main contributors with the bat. Both scored 30 runs, with Shinozada facing 33 balls and Najibullah playing a 40-ball innings.
Nangeyalia Kharoti provided a late boost with an unbeaten 17 off 15 balls, including three boundaries. Afghanistan eventually finished on 102/7.
Lalit Rajbanshi and Kushal Bhurtel shine with the ball
Nepal's bowling attack kept Afghanistan under pressure throughout the innings.
Lalit Rajbanshi was particularly impressive, taking three wickets while conceding just 13 runs. Kushal Bhurtel also produced an excellent spell, claiming four wickets for 21 runs.
Bhurtel dismissed Faisal Shinozada, Mohammad Ishaq, Darwish Rasooli and Najibullah Zadran, while Rajbanshi accounted for Hassan Eisakhil, Mohammad Akram and Karim Janat.
Nepal's chase gathers momentum
Nepal suffered an early setback when opener Kushal Bhurtel was dismissed for a two-ball duck. Aasif Sheikh also departed soon after, leaving Nepal under pressure.
However, Sundeep Jora's 34 off 35 balls helped Nepal recover. His innings included three fours and a six before he was run out in the 10th over.
After Jora's dismissal, Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee took responsibility for the chase. The pair built a useful partnership and guided Nepal closer to the target.
At 15.3 overs, Nepal were 86/4, with Paudel on 19 and Airee on 14. Nepal required just 17 more runs from the remaining 27 deliveries.
Afghanistan searching for a late breakthrough
With Nepal needing fewer than a run per ball, Afghanistan were relying on their spinners to create another twist in the contest.
The match remained closely watched as Nepal moved within touching distance of the 103-run target. Afghanistan had already secured a 48-run victory over Japan in their opening Group A match, while this was Nepal's first men's cricket match of the Asian Games campaign.
Afghanistan 102/7 (20 overs)
- Faisal Shinozada – 30
- Najibullah Zadran – 30
- Nangeyalia Kharoti – 17*
- Lalit Rajbanshi – 3/13
- Kushal Bhurtel – 4/21
Nepal 86/4 (15.3 overs)
- Rohit Paudel – 19*
- Dipendra Singh Airee – 14*
- Sundeep Jora – 34
- Target – 103
- Nepal need 17 runs from 27 balls