It was billed as Associate cricket's El Clásico, and it lived up to every bit of that reputation.
In a match that swung like a pendulum till the final ball, Nepal held their nerve to clinch a dramatic 1-run win over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Asia & EAP Qualifier 2025. This was Nepal's narrowest-ever T20I victory — edging out their previous 3-run win over Namibia.
Sheikh anchors as Nepal post 140
Batting first after winning the toss, Nepal posted 140/6 in 20 overs, with opener Aasif Sheikh standing tall under pressure. His composed 51 off 47 balls — decorated with 4 fours and a six — was the anchor around which Nepal built their innings.
Nepal were 73 for 1 at the halfway stage, struggling to find boundaries in the middle overs. Then came Gulshan Jha's burst — a thrilling sequence of 4, 6, 4 off Junaid Siddique in the 18th over to reignited Nepal's innings.
Kushal Bhurtel contributed 28 (26), while Rohit Paudel (20 off 19) and Gulshan Jha (14 off 5) added vital runs at the death to push the total just past the 140 mark.
UAE's Dhruv Parashar (1/10) and Haider Ali (1/22) were the pick of the bowlers, tightening things up during the middle overs. They were excellent in both bowling and fielding today.
UAE's chase and Nepal's comeback
Chasing 141, UAE appeared in total control thanks to Alishan Sharafu's blazing 58 off 40 balls, supported by Dhruv Parashar's 32 off 18.
At 83/1 at the end of the 11th over, the game seemed all but over for Nepal – until Dipendra Singh Airee sparked one of Nepal’s most remarkable comebacks in recent memory.
The turning point came in the 13th over, when Dipendra Singh Airee removed the set Sharafu and tightened the screws with his nagging accuracy.
The final-over drama
With 10 runs needed off the last over, skipper Rohit Paudel entrusted Dipendra Singh Airee with the ball. What followed was chaos and brilliance in equal measure.
After conceding a six off the third delivery, Airee struck back immediately - removing Parashar for 32 and triggering a collapse. In the next two balls, UAE lost back-to-back run-outs, as Haider Ali and Zahid Ali departed in frantic attempts to steal runs.
The innings ended in heartbreak for UAE - one run short at 139/9, sealing a historic 1-run win for Nepal.
Airee – clutch again
Dipendra Singh Airee once again delivered under pressure, finishing with 3/22 (4 overs) and a crucial run-out, earning him the Player of the Match award.
The victory also extends Nepal's unbeaten run in the Qualifiers, following earlier wins over Kuwait and Japan in the group stage.
