In what ranks as a monumental achievement, Nepal secured a historic seven-wicket win against United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the final match of the ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2023 at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground on Tuesday. The victory earned them a place in the 2023 Asia Cup. Nepal will be in Group A, pitting them against India and Pakistan. Group B comprises Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Opting to bat first, UAE struggled to find their footing as they lost wickets regularly, eventually slumping to a below-par score of 117 in 33.1 overs. Asif Khan’s composed knock of 46 runs off 54 balls was the only bright spot for UAE, while Lalit Rajbanshi stood out among Nepal’s bowlers, finishing with excellent figures of 4 wickets for just 14 from 7.1 overs.
In response, Nepal stumbled early, losing two quick wickets. However, the decision to promote Gulsan Jha to No. 3 proved to be a masterstroke, as he steadied the ship with his composed and measured approach. Gulsan remained unbeaten on 67 off 84 balls, while Bhim Sharki held fort at the other end with a steady 36 runs off 72 balls. Nepal reached the target of 118 runs in 30 overs.
The top three teams in the tournament – Nepal, UAE and Oman – also qualified for the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in July.
The Asia Cup 2023 is scheduled to take place in September, but the venue has yet to be decided after India refused to play matches in Pakistan.
Here are some of the best reactions across Twitter after Nepal qualified for the 2023 Asia Cup:
We are in the ASIA CUP.
Congratulations to everyone involved with Nepal Cricket.
What a win,what a team.
pic.twitter.com/WYtXDJKFvT— Paras Khadka (@paras77) May 2, 2023
Most ODI wins at a ground in a year:
10 – Nepal at Kirtipur, 2023
9 – Bangladesh at Dhaka, 2015
8 – Pakistan at Sharjah, 2001Nepal has a perfect 10 out of 10 winning streak.
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) May 2, 2023
Nepal are off to the Asia Cup! They have beaten UAE with ease with seven wickets and 19.3 overs to spare in the ACC Premier Cup Final. Congratulations @CricketNep!
— CricBlog (@cric_blog) May 2, 2023
Congratulations Nepal for
Qualifying to the Asia Cup 2023. Very happy for them. @NepalCricket pic.twitter.com/4gOWx0e4tf— Saif Ahmed (@saifahmed75) May 2, 2023
What a historic day for Nepal. Let’s give a big round of applause to Team Nepal for their outstanding victory in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2023 @CricketNep @Sompal_Kami@karankc33 @paras77 @Sandeep25 #NepalCricket #ACCPremierCup #NEPvUAE pic.twitter.com/kMSGJ1ocBn
— Rabin Ghimire (@RabinGh18) May 2, 2023