Nepal reach ACC Premier Cup semifinals after five-wicket win over Saudi Arabia

Selangor, Malaysia, September 6, 2026 — Nepal's national cricket team has advanced to the semifinals of the ACC Premier Cup One-Day Tournament with a match to spare after defeating Saudi Arabia by five wickets in their Group A encounter on Sunday.

Chasing a target of 191 runs at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur, Nepal reached 191 for five in 41 overs to secure its third consecutive victory in the tournament and confirm its place in the semifinals.

Gulsan Jha remained unbeaten on 44 runs to guide Nepal to victory, while Ishan Pandey scored 40 and Dev Khanal contributed 39. Captain Rohit Paudel also remained unbeaten on 24 runs.

Aasif Sheikh added 20 runs, while Arjun Kumal scored 15.

For Saudi Arabia, Ishtiaq Ahmad and Muhammad Atif took two wickets each.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia won the toss and elected to bat first but was bowled out for 190 runs in 49.2 overs.

Abdul Wahid was the standout performer for Saudi Arabia, scoring 77 runs from 89 balls, including 10 fours and two sixes. Muhammad Atif contributed 30 runs, while Usman Najeeb added 28.

Nepal's bowlers once again produced a disciplined performance. Captain Sandeep Lamichhane and Dipendra Singh Airee took three wickets each, while Lalit Rajbanshi claimed two wickets. Gulsan Jha and Sher Malla took one wicket apiece.

Nepal had begun its campaign with a seven-wicket victory over Bahrain before defeating host Malaysia by six wickets in its second match.

With three consecutive victories, Nepal has now secured a place in the semifinals with one group-stage match remaining.