In a nail-biting encounter at the ICC Twenty20 World Cup Asia Qualifier, the home team, Nepal, lost to Oman by just five runs in the final match of the group stage.
Chasing Oman’s target of 146, Nepal needed 26 runs to win in the final. Bibek Yadav, who had struck five sixes in 24 balls, gave Nepal hope with a flurry of boundaries. However, his dreams were shattered when he was caught on the fourth ball of the over.
Kushal Bhurtel (26), Karan KC (15), Sompal Kami, Captain Rohit Kumar Paudel, and Sandeep Jora contributed to Nepal’s chase, but it was not enough.
For Oman, Bilal Khan emerged as the star with three wickets. Shakeel Ahmed, Mehran Khan, and Aqib Ilyas provided excellent support, with two wickets each.

Earlier, Oman had set a target of 145 runs after losing the toss and being invited to bat. Captain Zeeshan Maqsood led the way with 32 runs, while Nisham Khushi and Pratish Athawale added 24 runs each. Shakeel Ahmed also contributed an unbeaten 22.
For Nepal, Karan KC took three wickets, while Sompal Kami and Sandeep Lamichhane bagged two wickets each.
Despite the loss, Nepal has secured a spot in the semi-finals as the runner-up from Group A with four points in three matches. Oman, on the other hand, has emerged as the group winners with a perfect three-match winning streak, totalling 6 points.