Nepal beat Hong Kong, China by 19 runs on the DLS method at the Singapore National Cricket Ground to win the Asian Games Men's T20I Qualifier 2026, player of the match Sher Malla's 4 for 32 pegging back the holders before Kushal Bhurtel's brisk 65 put the title chase out of reach.
Asked to field after winning the toss, Nepal turned to Sher Malla to drag the contest their way. The left-arm seamer finished with 4 for 32 from his four overs (economy 8.00), and it was his early strikes that set the tone. Hong Kong leaned on Anshy Rath, who top-scored with 80 off 45 balls (six fours, six sixes, strike rate 177.77), and Shahid Wasif, whose 55 came off just 28 deliveries (seven fours, three sixes). Shiv Mathur chipped in 26, but Nepal's attack — Karan KC taking 2 for 45 and Sandeep Lamichhane 1 for 46 — kept the rate in check as Hong Kong, China closed on 188 for 7.
Nepal's reply was built on Bhurtel once more. Fresh off his 126 against Malaysia earlier in the tournament, the opener raced to 65 off 40 balls (eight fours, three sixes) to take the game away from Hong Kong inside the powerplay and beyond. Aasif Sheikh fell for a duck early, but Bhurtel and Rohit Paudel rebuilt with a 63-run second-wicket stand off 46 balls that pushed Nepal clear of the DLS par line.
With rain closing in, Nepal had reached 114 for 2 in 11.3 overs — 19 runs ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) target of 96 — when the players were taken off for the final time. Paudel was unbeaten on 35 from 24 balls and Dipendra Singh Airee on 9, and the revised equation confirmed Nepal as champions without the need to return.
The title caps a dominant campaign and books Nepal's place in the Asian Games cricket event. Bhurtel was the tournament's batting spearhead, while Sher Malla's final-day 4 for 32 followed his 3 for 15 against Malaysia, underlining the new-ball threat that carried Nepal through the semi-final win over Oman and into the title match unbeaten in the knockouts.
See the full scorecard for the Hong Kong, China vs Nepal final on Cricnepal.
