Selangor, Malaysia, August 31, 2026 — Nepal began its ACC Men’s Premier Cup campaign with a convincing seven-wicket victory over Bahrain on Monday, producing a dominant bowling display before completing a modest chase in 21 overs.
After winning the toss and opting to field at the YSD-UKM Cricket Oval in Bangi, Nepal dismissed Bahrain for just 87 runs in 36.2 overs. The result gave Nepal a strong start to its Group A campaign in the 50-over tournament.
Captain Sandeep Lamichhane was the standout performer with the ball. Returning as Nepal’s captain, he claimed five wickets for 14 runs from his 10 overs, including four maiden overs. He made an immediate impact by taking a wicket with his first delivery and completed his five-wicket haul with two more wickets in the latter stages of the innings.
Lalit Rajbanshi provided strong support with three wickets for 20 runs from 6.2 overs, while Karan KC took two wickets for 14 runs from eight overs. Nepal’s bowling attack kept Bahrain under pressure throughout the innings, preventing the hosts from building a substantial partnership.
Fiaz Ahmed was Bahrain’s top scorer with 15 runs from 15 balls, including two fours and a six. Muhammad Wasim made 13, while Ali Dawood scored 10. No other Bahrain batter reached double figures, underlining Nepal’s control with the ball.
