Driven by disciplined bowling and composure under pressure, Nepal pulled off a major upset in the Asian Games men’s cricket competition, securing a memorable 5-wicket victory over a formidable Afghanistan side.
The match took place on Friday (September 25, 2026) at Corgi Sports Park. Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Afghanistan found themselves pinned back by Nepal’s bowling attack. They were restricted to just 102 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs. Nepal chased down the target with 5 wickets and 16 balls to spare.
Nepal’s bowlers applied tactical and mental pressure right from the opening overs, picking up wickets at regular intervals to deny Afghanistan any sustained partnerships. Off-spinner Kushal Bhurtel led the charge, claiming 4 wickets, while left-arm spinner Lalit Rajbanshi provided excellent support at the other end with 3 wickets.
For Afghanistan, Faisal Khan Ahmadzai and experienced middle-order batter Najibullah Zadran top-scored with 30 runs each. Nangeyalia Kharote contributed 17 runs, but no other Afghan batter managed to reach double digits.
Chasing a modest target of 103, Nepal suffered an early setback as both openers were dismissed with just 12 runs on the board. However, Sundeep Jora and captain Rohit Paudel steadied the innings and effectively took control of the match.
Jora played a vital knock of 34 runs, while captain Paudel contributed a responsible 33 to guide Nepal toward the target. All-rounder Dipendra Singh Airee sealed the win with an unbeaten 15, taking Nepal across the line in 17.3 overs.
