Afghanistan vs Nepal: Nepal Win by 5 Wickets in Asian Games 2026
Nepal defeated Afghanistan by five wickets in the Asian Games 2026 Men's Cricket Competition at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. Afghanistan scored 102/7 in 20 overs after choosing to bat first, while Nepal chased down the target in 17.2 overs to finish on 103/5.
Afghanistan Struggle Against Nepal's Bowling Attack
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first, but Nepal's bowlers made an early impact. Afghanistan lost three wickets for just 16 runs inside the first five overs as Nepal put pressure on the batting lineup.
Lalit Rajbanshi was particularly effective during the powerplay, taking three wickets in his opening spell. He finished with figures of 3/13 from four overs.
Afghanistan's middle order attempted to rebuild the innings, with Faisal Shinozada and Najibullah Zadran both scoring 30 runs. However, regular wickets prevented Afghanistan from producing a bigger total. Afghanistan eventually finished on 102/7 after their 20 overs.
Kushal Bhurtel Leads Nepal's Bowling Performance
Kushal Bhurtel also played a major role with the ball, taking four wickets for 21 runs in his four overs.
Bhurtel dismissed Faisal Shinozada, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq and Darwish Rasooli, helping Nepal keep Afghanistan's total under control. Together, Bhurtel and Rajbanshi accounted for seven of Afghanistan's wickets.
Nepal Chase Down 103 Runs
Nepal needed 103 runs to win but their chase did not begin smoothly. The team lost two early wickets and were reduced to 12/2.
Sundeep Jora and Rohit Paudel then helped Nepal recover with an important partnership. Jora scored 34 runs from 35 balls, while Paudel contributed 33 runs from 32 balls.
Nepal eventually reached 103/5 in 17.2 overs, winning the match by five wickets with 16 balls remaining.
Afghanistan vs Nepal Match Result
Afghanistan: 102/7 in 20 overs
Nepal: 103/5 in 17.2 overs
Result: Nepal won by 5 wickets
Venue: Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, Japan
Tournament: Asian Games 2026
Match: 4th Match, Group A
Key Performers
Kushal Bhurtel was Nepal's leading bowler with figures of 4/21 from four overs.
Lalit Rajbanshi supported him with 3/13 from four overs and made an early impact by dismissing three Afghanistan batters during the powerplay.
With the bat, Sundeep Jora scored 34 runs from 35 balls and Rohit Paudel made 33 from 32 balls to guide Nepal towards the target.
Afghanistan vs Nepal Match Highlights
Afghanistan struggled to build momentum after losing three early wickets. Nepal's spin attack continued to take wickets and restricted Afghanistan to 102/7.
Nepal also lost early wickets during the chase, but Jora and Paudel steadied the innings before Nepal completed the chase in the 18th over.
The final score was Nepal 103/5 in 17.2 overs, giving Nepal a five-wicket victory in their Asian Games 2026 Group A match.
Asian Games 2026 Cricket
The Afghanistan vs Nepal match was the fourth match of Group A in the Men's Cricket Competition at the Asian Games 2026.
The match was played at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, on September 25, 2026. Afghanistan won the toss and batted first before Nepal successfully chased the target.
Final Scorecard
Afghanistan: 102/7 (20 overs)
Nepal: 103/5 (17.2 overs)
Nepal won by 5 wickets
