Zillar Barta Desk : Nepal made a winning start to their Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket campaign, defeating Afghanistan by five wickets in their Group A opener at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, on Friday.
The match was shaped by a brilliant bowling performance from Kushal Bhurtel, who claimed four wickets for 21 runs in his four overs, including a maiden. Lalit Rajbanshi added three wickets for 13 runs as Nepal’s bowlers restricted Afghanistan to 102 for seven in 20 overs.
Afghanistan struggled early after choosing to bat first, losing three wickets for just 16 runs. Faisal Khan Ahmadzai and Najibullah Zadran both scored 30 to provide some resistance, while Nangeyalia Kharote contributed an unbeaten 17. However, Bhurtel’s spell prevented Afghanistan from building a substantial total.
Nepal’s chase also began under pressure, with Kushal Bhurtel dismissed for a duck and the team reduced to 31 for three. Sundeep Jora then steadied the innings with a composed 34 off 35 balls, while Rohit Paudel remained unbeaten on 33 to guide Nepal towards the target.
Nepal reached 103 for five in 17.2 overs, securing a five-wicket victory with 16 balls remaining. The result gives Nepal two points from their opening Group A match. Nepal will next face Japan on September 26, with qualification for the quarter-finals at stake.
