Aichi, Japan, September 25, 2026 — Nepal has climbed two places to 14th in the latest ICC Men’s T20 International rankings after defeating Afghanistan by five wickets at the 20th Asian Games on Friday.
Nepal had previously been ranked 16th in the T20I standings. The victory over Afghanistan, a Test-playing nation, lifted Nepal to 14th, while Afghanistan dropped from ninth to 10th.
Nepal produced a strong all-round performance in the match at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Aichi. Afghanistan scored 102 for seven after being sent in to bat, before Nepal reached the target of 103 in 17.2 overs for the loss of five wickets.
The victory has strengthened Nepal’s position in the race for a place in the quarterfinals of the men’s cricket competition at the Asian Games.
Nepal will play its final group-stage match against hosts Japan on Saturday, September 26. Japan also need a strong result in their group campaign to remain in contention for the quarterfinals.
