Disappointment filled the humid air of Kuala Lumpur’s Biomass Oval as Nepal’s spirited run in the ACC Women’s Premier Cup was halted by a nail-biting four-wicket loss to hosts Malaysia in a pulsating semi-final. Chasing a modest target of 116, Malaysia displayed nerves of steel to snatch victory with just a ball to spare, leaving Nepal’s Asia Cup aspirations in tatters.

Malaysia’s hero of the hour was the unflappable Ilsa Hunter, who anchored the chase with a composed 69* off 53 balls. Laced with six boundaries, her innings provided the backbone as wickets tumbled around her. Mahira Smile (16), Mas Alyssa (13), and Wan Julie (11) chipped in with valuable contributions, ensuring Malaysia kept the scoreboard ticking over.

Earlier, electing to bat first, Nepal struggled to build partnerships, finishing with a below-par 115/6. Captain Indu Burma top-scored with 29, while Dolly Bhatt (25), Kabita Kunwar (23), and Rubina Chhetri (20) made starts but failed to convert them into big scores. Mahira Smile’s two wickets and Winifred Duraisingam’s one scalp, coupled with three crucial run-outs, pegged Nepal back throughout their innings.

This defeat marks a cruel end to Nepal’s dominant run in the tournament, where they had previously secured convincing victories over Kuwait, Maldives, Bhutan, and Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Malaysia advances to the final, meeting the United Arab Emirates, who edged past Thailand by a slender margin in the other semi-final.