Nepal vs Afghanistan Match 4 Full Commentary

Result · Sep 25 2026, Fri - 10:30 AM (IST)

Match 4, - Korogi Sports Park

NEP

103/5 (17.2)

AFG

102/7 (20.0)

Nepal beat Afghanistan by 5 wickets

CRR:5.94

0.0

We are back for the chase! The players are already out in the middle. Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh are the two openers for Nepal. Faridoon Dawoodzai will start proceedings with the ball. Here we go...
0.0

... THE RUN CHASE ...
0.0

Nepal's bowlers run riot - Nepal were superb with both ball and in the field, with Lalit Rajbanshi setting the tone with a sensational new-ball spell. He struck in each of his first three overs to put Afghanistan on the back foot early. There was a brief lull without a breakthrough, but Nepal kept the pressure on and restricted the scoring before Kushal Bhurtel spun a web of his own. He finished with an excellent 4/21 and even had a hat-trick chance, capping a dominant bowling display. It is on the batters now to do their job and gun this down to start their Asian Games campaign with a win. Join us in a bit for the second essay.
0.0

Afghanistan scrape past three figures- Afghanistan never really got going with the bat, losing their top three in single digits to slump to 16/3. Runs were hard to come by, with Faisal Shinozada looking the most fluent, using the reverse sweep effectively on his way to 30 off 33. He steadied things alongside Najibullah Zadran in a 39-run stand, but his dismissal triggered another mini-collapse as Afghanistan slid from 55/4 to 65/6. Zadran, despite struggling for much of his innings, held firm for a valuable 30, while Nangeyalia Kharote chipped in with a few lusty blows to push Afghanistan into three figures.
0.0

A low target, but a live contest - Afghanistan have huffed and puffed their way past three figures, but whether that will be enough remains to be seen. Nepal would have gladly accepted this target at the toss after a clinical bowling display, although they would have loved to keep Afghanistan below 100 and gain that extra psychological edge. Nepal head into the chase with a slight advantage, but Afghanistan's quality spin attack means this contest is far from over.
19.6

A single to end the innings. Afghanistan finish on 102/7. Another yorker by Lalit, on off. Kharote jams it out wide of point, and they scamper through for a quick single. Ahmadzai gets home before the throw reaches the keeper.
19.5

Nails the yorker, on off. Kharote drills it to cover.
19.4

FOUR! Oh, that could have been nasty! Floated up, on middle. Kharote skips down the track and lofts it back over the bowler's head. The long on and long off fielders converge and both have their eyes on the ball as they go for the catch. Both men put in the dive, but the ball goes right between them, and thankfully, they do not collide. It trickles into the fence. Afghanistan go past 100 with a couple of balls left in the innings.
19.3

A single sneaked in! Keeps it full, outside off. Ahmadzai has a big swing at it but the ball spins away a touch and grazes the outside edge. The keeper, Aasif Sheikh can't cling on as the ball clips his gloves and rolls wide of point. They cross.
19.2

A swing and a miss! Switches to around the wicket, fuller and around the off pole. Ahmadzai clears the front leg and swings for the hills, but the ball straightens to go past the bat and whistles past the off stump.
19.1

Very full, on middle, not allowing the batter to get under the ball. Kharote powers it to long on for just a single.
0.0

The next man in is Abdollah Ahmadzai. Also, Lalit Rajbanshi (3-0-6-3) will bowl the final over.
18.6

OUT! TAKEN! Kushal Bhurtel picks up his 4th wicket on the last ball of his spell and ends a fine outing. Bowled into the deck again, on off. Zadran hangs back and tries to drag it in front of square on the leg side. Gets it right off the toe end of the blade and it goes flat towards long on. Karan KC runs in off the ropes and slides to take a safe catch inches off the turf. Afghanistan are 95/7 with one over left in the innings.
18.5

This is from the front of the hand, into the wicket, outside off. Zadran flashes but can only connect with thin air.
18.4

Loopy ball, it is the googly, on off. Zadran picks it from the hand and goes with the spin, carving it to the left of deep point for another brace.
18.3

Good teamwork! Floated up, on off. Zadran gets down on a knee and clubs it wide of deep mid-wicket. Rohit Paudel sprints to his right and dives to push the ball away towards the converging Karan KC. Two runs taken.
18.2

FOUR! Up and over! Another ball that is quicker through the air, shorter too. It sits up to be hit and Zadran does not miss out. He extends his hands and slams it over cover for a boundary.
18.1

Beaten! This is pushed through from the front of the hand, short and outside off. Zadran throws his hands at the ball but is beaten for pace as well as bounce as the ball sails over the blade.
0.0

Kushal Bhurtel (3-1-13-3) will bowl the penultimate over.
17.7

Angled in at the hips, that is flicked off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for a run. A good over for Afghanistan, 9 runs off it.
17.6

Wide! Well wide on off, on the shorter side. Zadran can't connect on the cut.
17.5

Good running! Spears it in on a good length, on middle. Kharote drops it beside the strip on the leg side and scampers through for a quick single.
17.4

Short and on off, Kharote punches it firmly to cover.
17.3

A bit of air given, full and on middle. Zadran attempts the slog sweep but toe-ends it wide of point for one.
17.2

Bye! Bowls the arm ball, following the batter. Kharote makes room to force it away. It sneaks under the blade and the keeper can't collect it cleanly either. It clips the gloves and goes behind for a bye.
17.1

FOUR! One bounce and over the ropes. 3rd boundary in 8 balls for Afghanistan. Paudel drifts on the pads, on a good length. Kharote leans inside the line of the ball and gets down on a knee. Makes use of the angle as he shovels it over short fine leg.
16.6

Too straight, angled in at the pads. Kharote clips it wide of short fine leg and retains the strike with a single.
16.5

A bit of extra bounce, short and on off. Nangeyalia Kharote stabs it down on the off side.
16.4

Around off, a bit short. Zadran rides the bounce and steers it wide of backward point for another single.
16.3

On a length now, on off, cut away to backward point.

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0.0

Nepal faces Japan up next - That wraps up a comprehensive victory for Nepal as they march forward with immense confidence. The action continues right away in the Asian Games, where Nepal will take on Japan on 26th September, Saturday at 12 am GMT, while Malaysia and Oman go up against each other at 5 am GMT. Make sure to tune in for both exciting clashes. Cheers for now!
0.0

Rohit and Jora steady the chase - Chasing a small target of 103, Nepal's response did not start well as they slumped early to a precarious 12 for 2. However, a target this small only required a couple of steady partnerships in the 20s to swing the momentum back. Rohit Paudel anchored the innings beautifully, while Sundeep Jora played a crucial knock in the 30s, helping the middle order fire and see Nepal past the total without any major difficulty. In contrast, Afghanistan's spinners failed to make much of an impact on the surface, which ultimately cost them the game.
0.0

Bhurtel and Lalit extinguish Afghan hopes - Nepal's bowling performance was exceptional, spearheaded by a brilliant spell from Kushal Bhurtel, who picked up 4 wickets to dismantle the top and middle order. He was perfectly complemented by Lalit Rajbanshi, who took 3 crucial scalps to ensure Afghanistan never got away. The duo kept a tight lid on the scoring rate and regularly broke partnerships, ensuring the target remained just a little over the 100-run mark.
0.0

Afghanistan restricted to 102 - Afghanistan chose to bat first but found it difficult to break free against a disciplined bowling attack, eventually finishing their innings on a modest 102 runs. The Afghan batting effort was primarily held together by a couple of fighting 30s from Faisal Shinozada and Najibullah Zadran, who tried to rebuild the innings during the middle overs. However, the lack of acceleration from the other end kept Afghanistan from posting a truly competitive total on the board.
17.2

Gulshan Jha hits the winning run! Arab Gul fires this one, full and on middle, Jha drills it towards mid on and sets of for the run. The fielder fails to pick it up cleanly and Jha makes his ground. NEPAL WIN BY 5 WICKETS, with 16 balls to spare.
0.0

Gulshan Jha is out to bat next for Nepal.
17.1

Dipendra Singh Airee c Najibullah Zadran b Arab Gul 15 (18)

OUT! CAUGHT! Dipendra Singh Airee holes out, trying to go for the glory shot. Tossed up, full and on middle, turns away. Airee goes down for the big slog sweep but gets a top edge. It goes high in the air towards the mid on region. Najibullah Zadran from mid-wicket runs towards it, keeps his eyes on the ball and takes a safe catch.
16.7

FOUR! SCORES LEVEL! Short of a length and around middle. Rohit Paudel opens up his stance, gets on top of the bounce and swats it away to the wide long on fence for a boundary.
16.6

Pitched up, outside off, Dipendra Singh Airee bunts it out to extra cover for a run.
16.5

Low full toss, on middle, Dipendra Singh Airee tucks it to short mid-wicket.
16.4

Fuller and around off, Rohit Paudel pushes it through covers for a single.

16.3

Hits the deck hard, on middle, Rohit Paudel uses his feet, stays leg side of the ball and swats it but straight to mid off.
16.2

WIDE! A bouncer, on middle, but too high for the batter. Rohit Paudel lets it go. Wided.
16.1

Bangs this into the pitch, around off, gets some steep bounce. Rohit Paudel backs away to pull but misses.
15.6

Hard length and on off, Rohit Paudel pats it towards cover-point for one. 12 runs off the over!
15.5

FOUR MORE! Nepal are almost there now! Dug into the surface, outside off, Rohit Paudel rides the bounce and slaps it through the extra over. The fielder from deep point runs to his right and dives, gets a hand but can only parry it to the fence for another boundary.
15.4

FOUR! Streaky but they all count! Short of a length and outside off, takes pace off. Rohit Paudel slashes at it but gets a thick outside edge that flies to the third man fence for a boundary. Nepal fans go wild in the stands.
15.3

Full and on leg, Dipendra Singh Airee clips it through backward square leg for another run.
15.2

Back of a length and around off, Rohit Paudel runs it down to deep third for a run. Nepal need 18 runs in 28 balls now.
15.1

A slower one, on a length and outside off. Dipendra Singh Airee throws his bat at it but gets an inside edge to the left of the keeper. He fumbles and allows a single.
14.6

Tossed up, around off, Rohit Paudel punches this to extra cover for no run.

14.5

Too full, on off, Rohit Paudel dabs this to the backward point fielder.
14.4

FOUR! Fuller around middle and off, Rohit Paudel gets right underneath the flight on the ball and lofts this over the bowlers head for a boundary.
14.3

Tossed up, on middle and off, Dipendra Singh Airee sweeps this through square leg for a single.
14.2

Too full, around off, Rohit Paudel drives this down to long off for a single.
14.1

Quicker one, around off, Dipendra Singh Airee plays this late and guides this past the left of the short third fielder for three runs. Excellent running between the wickets.
13.7

Short and wide of off, Rohit Paudel looks to cut this away but gets beaten.
13.6

Short and around off, Rohit Paudel arches back and looks to help this to the third man region but misses.
13.5

WIDE! Bouncer, a tad too high on the batter. Wided.
13.4

Slower one, around off, on a length, Rohit Paudel keeps it out to covers.

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