Nepal climb all over dire Hong Kong

Nepal won their World Twenty20 qualifier against Hong Kong by 80 runs on Sunday, bowling their fellow tournament rookies out for 69 after making a decent 149 for eight themselves in Chittagong.

Nepal won their World Twenty20 qualifier against Hong Kong by 80 runs on Sunday, bowling their fellow tournament rookies out for 69 after making a decent 149 for eight themselves in Chittagong.

Hong Kong won the toss ahead of the anticipated encounter and chose to bowl first on a grassy deck. The Nepal batsmen showed good technique early on, putting on an opening stand of 36 before Sagar Pun was removed.

Subash Khakurel fell in the next over, but then Gyanedra Malla and skipper Paras Khadka put on a stand of 80 over the next 11 overs. Khadka made 41 before being removed by Najeeb Amar, hitting four fours in the 37 balls he faced.

Malla continued as a few more wickets fell at the other end, with Hong Kong threatening to keep the score down, but his knock of 48 was crucial in psyching the opposition out, and he departed in the final over. That over saw four wickets tumble.

The chase was over before it began though. Like Afghanistan earlier in the day, who were out for 72, Hong Kong lost their first wicket with the opening delivery. Irfan Ahmed edged Khadka behind.

From then on it was a procession of bowled wickets, with skipper Jamie Atkinson out for six, becoming Shakti Gauchan's first of three wickets. Basant Regmi also took three wickets in his four overs.

Slight resistance came from Babar Hayat, who made a top score of 20, and Waqas Barkat, who added 18, but it was futile as the Nepal bowlers removed the last six batsmen for just 11 runs. The 69 became the second lowest score in WT20 history.

Hong Kong: Waqas Barkat, Irfan Ahmed, Jamie Atkinson, Babar Hayat, Mark Chapman, Nizakat Khan, Tanwir Afzal, Aizaz Khan, Najeeb Amar, Haseeb Amjad, Nadeem Ahmed

Nepal: Subash Khakurel, Sagar Pun, Gyanedra Malla, Paras Khadka, Binod Bhandari, Sharad Vesawkar, Naresh Budayair, Basant Regmi, Shakti Gauchan, Sompal Kami, Jitendra Mukhiya

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