Nepal through to ICC World T20 Nepal 144 for 5 (Khadka 46, Malla 30) beat Hong Kong 143 for 8 (Mukhiya 3-32, Karn 2-28) by five wickets Jitendra Mukhiya in his delivery stride, Hong Kong v Nepal, ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, quarter-final, Abu Dhabi, November 27, 2013 Jitendra Mukhiya picked up three wickets for Nepal © ICC Enlarge Related Links Players/Officials: Richie Berrington | Sharad Vesawkar | Calum MacLeod | Pipi Raho Matches: Hong Kong v Nepal at Abu Dhabi | Italy v Scotland at Abu Dhabi | Namibia v Papua New Guinea at Abu Dhabi Series/Tournaments: ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier Teams: Hong Kong | Nepal | Scotland Sites: Cricinfo ICC Site Nepal joined Afghanistan and Ireland to become the third team to qualify for the ICC World T20 in Bangladesh after a last-ball win against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi. Its the first time Nepal will be heading to a world event. Nepal entered the final over needing 13 to win but Sharad Vesawkar swung the pendulum with a six down the ground followed by an inside-edged four through fine leg. Vesawkar was back on strike to face the final delivery with scores level and pierced a packed ring through extra cover to send Nepal through to Bangladesh with a five-wicket win. Chasing 144, Nepals got off to a solid start, but Hong Kong kept chipping away every time it appeared Nepal was about to seize control. Tanwir Afzal bowled opener Subash Khakurel behind his legs for 16 and Sagar Pun made 22 off 19 before he was pinned on the crease by a full delivery by Haseeb Amjad. Gyanendra Malla and Paras Khadka came together and added 33 for the third wicket before Malla heaved Aizaz Khan to deep midwicket for 30. Atkinson kept Nepal off balance with a series of bowling changes as dot balls kept piling up to bring the equation to 34 off 20 balls for Nepal to win. Khadka only struck two boundaries in his 46 off 39 but cleverly seized on ones and twos to anchor the chase. He offered a chance to Atkinson behind the stumps on the last ball of the 18th, but Hong Kongs wicketkeeper-captain spilled it and in the process injured his right thumb before exiting the field for treatment. A front foot no-ball by left-arm spinner Nadeem Ahmed was slammed past the umpire for a boundary two balls into the 19th and it looked as though Hong Kong would crumble without their captain. However, Hong Kong erupted in the field when Khadka was run-out two balls later after changing his mind too late on a second run. After sending Hong Kong into bat, Nepal had bowled and fielded marvellously for the majority of the innings before a hiccup in the final two overs allowed Hong Kong to reach 143 for 8. Hong Kong had a handful of players cross 20, but none made it past 25. The dangerous Irfan Ahmed was the first of three wickets for seamer Jitendra Mukhiya, edging a short ball to Nepal captain Paras Khadka at first slip in the second over. Hong Kong captain Jamie Atkinson sliced Avinash Karn to point at the start of the fifth. The two bowlers shared five wickets between them. The win also took Nepal to the semi-final of the tournament where they will meet Afghanistan.
Posted on: Wed, 27 Nov 2013 11:25:25 +0000
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