Kathmandu—Nepal continued its scorching run in the ACC Premier Cup T20 with a 32-run victory over Qatar. Their second consecutive win in the tournament was orchestrated by Dipendra Singh Airee’s phenomenal all-round performance.

After winning the toss, playing at the All Emirates Cricket Ground in Oman, Nepal opted to bat first. Airee, a beacon of inspiration, stole the show with a breathtaking knock of 64 runs from a mere 21 deliveries. His power-hitting prowess was on full display, as he smashed a record-breaking six sixes in the final over – a first for any Nepali batsman in international cricket. Asif Sheikh provided valuable support with a well-paced 52 off 41 balls, while Kushal Malla chipped in with a handy 25. Nepal finished their innings with a commanding total of 210/7.

Chasing a daunting target, Qatar’s batting faltered. Captain Mohammad Tanveer tried his best to revive the chase with a blazing 63 off 33 balls but lacked sufficient support from his teammates. Mohammad Anaf (23), Himanshu Rathod (22*), Adnan Mirza (19), and Kamran Khan (18) made brief contributions, but ultimately, Qatar fell short, managing only 178/9 in their allotted overs.

Nepal’s bowling attack effectively shared the spoils. Continuing his stellar day, Airi picked up two wickets with the ball. Lalit Naran Rajbanshi and Gulshan Jha also bagged a brace each, while Kushal Malla and Avinash Bohra chipped in with one wicket apiece.

With this dominant victory, Nepal sits atop Group A with a perfect record of two wins from two matches. The team is eagerly looking forward to their next challenge on Monday when they take on Hong Kong in what promises to be another exciting encounter, keeping the fans on the edge of their seats.