Bhurtel record ton sees Nepal top Group A

By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, June 5: Opener Kushal Bhurtel produced a record-breaking performance to guide the Nepali men's national cricket team into the semi-finals of the Asian Games Qualifiers as group winners.

Nepal secured top spot in Group A following a resounding 168-run win over Malaysia in Singapore on Thursday. 

With two wins in a row, Nepal collected four points to top the standings. Despite the heavy defeat, Malaysia also advanced to the final four as group runners-up with two points, while China crashed out without a single win. 

Both teams had already secured their tickets to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games after defeating China in their respective opening group matches.

Chasing a mammoth target of 276 runs set by Nepal at the Singapore National Cricket Ground, Malaysia were restricted to just 108-9 in their allotted 20 overs. 

Sher Malla starred with the ball to dismantle the Malaysian top-order, picking up 3 wickets for 14 runs in his four overs. Sompal Kami, Sandeep Lamichhane, Karan KC, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Kushal Malla also claimed one wicket apiece.

For Malaysia, captain Syed Aziz top-scored with a fighting 45-ball 54, while Sharvin Muniandy added 18 and opener Muhammad Haziq Aiman made 13. 

No other batsman managed to reach double figures. The Malaysian batsmen were never in the match as they lost wickets at regular intervals, reeling at 38-5 in the eighth over. Captain Aziz provided some resistance, but the team lost four wickets in the final three overs.

Earlier, after Malaysia won the toss and invited Nepal to bat first, the Rhinos posted a colossal total of 275-7 from their 20 overs.

Opener Kushal Bhurtel stole the show with a historic innings. In smashing his third T20 International century, Bhurtel became the first player to score back-to-back T20I hundreds for Nepal.

Having brought up his half-century in just 25 balls, he reached his ton off 44 deliveries, hitting 10 fours and 7 sixes along the way. 

He was eventually caught out after a spectacular 126 off 54 balls, a knock that included 14 fours and 8 sixes. He had previously scored a career-best 129 against China in Nepal's tournament opener on 31 May. His maiden century of 104 runs came against the Philippines on 19 February 2022.

Bhurtel's opening partner Aasif Sheikh also fired, hitting his 11th T20I fifty with a blistering 68 off 24 balls, laced with 5 fours and 7 sixes. Captain Dipendra Singh Airee contributed a quickfire 31 off 11 balls, hitting 1 four and 4 sixes before being caught.

Sundeep Jora added 15 and Lokesh Bam made 10, while Kushal Malla (9*) and Sompal Kami (1*) remained unbeaten. For Malaysia, Virandeep Singh was the pick of the bowlers with 3 wickets, while Syed Aziz and Vijay Unni took two each.