Nepal falter under lights as UAE clinch rain‑hit opener

By A Staff Reporter,KATHMANDU, April 21: Nepal’s batting frailties were exposed under the floodlights at TU Cricket Ground on Monday evening as the hosts slumped to a six‑wicket defeat to the United Arab Emirates in the opening T20I of the home series- their first international match played at night.

Opting to bat first, Nepal managed only 122 for 8 in 18.5 overs before rain interrupted play. The revised target under the DLS method left UAE chasing 78 runs from 10 overs, which they achieved comfortably in 8.5 overs for the loss of four wickets.

UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem led the charge with a blistering 33 off 15 balls, punishing Nepal’s bowlers after being dropped by wicketkeeper Arjun Saud. His innings, studded with three fours and three sixes, set the tone before Sandeep Lamichhane struck to have him caught by Sher Malla in the fourth over.

Lamichhane continued to fight back, trapping Adeeb Usmani leg before and later dismissing Harpreet Singh to finish with figures of 3 for 23.

However, his effort proved insufficient as Alishan Sharafu (18) and Akshdeep Nath (17 not out) guided UAE home with a composed partnership.

Kushal Malla claimed the other wicket but was expensive, conceding 15 runs from five balls. Debutant Hemant Dhami endured a tough start, leaking 20 runs in his solitary over.

Earlier, Nepal’s top order struggled against disciplined UAE bowling. Returning opener Arjun Saud, playing his first T20I since 2022, struck three boundaries before being bowled by Junaid Siddique for 13. Sundeep Jora followed cheaply, and Kushal Bhurtel was run out for 16 after a brief flourish.

Kushal Malla, back in the national side, added 17 before falling lbw to Zuhaib Zubair, leaving skipper Dipendra Singh Airee to anchor the innings.

Airee top‑scored with an unbeaten 32 off 35 balls, showing composure amid the collapse. He shared a 28‑run stand with Basir Ahamad (14) before wickets tumbled again — Gulshan Jha (1), Nandan Yadav (13), and Sher Malla (0) all departing in quick succession. Lamichhane remained not out on 2 as Nepal’s innings closed at 122.

For UAE, Zuhaib Zubair was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 29, while Siddique (2 for 18) and Haider Ali (1 for 32) provided strong support.

Skipper Airee, leading Nepal’s T20 side for the first time, admitted his team fell short with the bat. “The wicket was tricky and our batting didn’t click,” he said. “We’ll regroup and look for a comeback in Tuesday’s match.”

The fixture marked several milestones for Nepal- their first international under lights, coach Stuart Law’s maiden home series since taking charge 13 months ago, and the debut of separate captains for T20 and ODI formats. With regulars Rohit Paudel, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Lalit Rajbanshi, and Aasif Sheikh missing, the youthful side showed flashes of promise but lacked consistency.

With the victory, UAE have levelled the head-to-head in T20Is, with both side have won six matches each.