Nepal Women fell agonisingly short in a nail-biting finish as Malaysia Women edged them by just 3 runs in the opening T20I at Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur.
Chasing 105 for victory, Nepal were restricted to 101/7 from their 20 overs, falling just short despite a fighting knock from Puja Mahato (30 off 29).
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Malaysia managed 104/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Winifred Duraisingam (27 off 41) and Mahirah Izzati Ismail (25 off 18)* anchored the innings.
Nepal's fielding stood out, with two run outs by Barma helping to restrict the flow of runs. Among bowlers, Somu Bist (2/21) and Puja Mahato (1/15) led the attack efficiently, supported by Riya Sharma (0/15).
In reply, Nepal Women began steadily but they lost wickets at regular intervals. Samjhana Khadka (18 off 16) and Puja Mahato (30 off 29) provided resistance in the middle overs.
Captain Indu Barma (12 off 21) and Kabita Joshi (13 off 11)* tried to keep the chase alive late on, but Malaysia held their nerve to seal victory in the final over.
Malaysia's Nur Dania Syuhada was named Player of the Match for her all-round effort — claiming 3/10 with the ball.
With this win, Malaysia take a 1–0 lead in the five-match T20I series. The second match will be played on Sunday at the same venue, where Nepal will look to bounce back and level the series.
