Babar Hayat’s unbeaten century and Aizaz Khan’s four-wicket haul helped Hong Kong defeat Nepal in a thrilling ACC Men’s Premier Cup contest.
Hong Kong secured a thrilling 15-run victory over Nepal in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur. Babar Hayat produced a magnificent unbeaten century before Hong Kong’s bowlers held their nerve to dismiss Nepal for 246 and secure a crucial victory.
Hong Kong won the toss and elected to bat, but their innings appeared to be in serious trouble when they slipped to 133 for seven. Nepal’s bowlers, led by captain Sandeep Lamichhane and Sher Malla, had done an excellent job of restricting the Hong Kong middle order.
Babar Hayat then produced a remarkable recovery effort. He remained unbeaten on 117 from 126 balls, striking seven fours and seven sixes. His innings provided the stability Hong Kong desperately needed and transformed a potentially modest total into a competitive one.
Ahsan Abbasi and Shahid Wasif also made valuable contributions during the recovery. Hong Kong eventually reached 261 for seven from their 50 overs, setting Nepal a target of 262. The total appeared challenging but achievable given the quality of Nepal’s batting lineup.
Nepal began their chase positively but lost wickets at important moments. Ishan Pandey provided the main resistance, scoring a fighting 90 from 106 balls. Aasif Sheikh also contributed 44, but Nepal struggled to maintain momentum after losing several top-order batters.
The chase became increasingly tense during the final overs. Karan KC briefly revived Nepal’s hopes with a quick 21 from 13 balls, while Pandey continued to anchor the innings. However, Pandey was dismissed for 90 with Nepal still requiring 21 runs from nine deliveries.
Aizaz Khan then completed a superb bowling performance, finishing with four wickets for 50 runs. Hong Kong eventually dismissed Nepal for 246 in 49.1 overs, winning by 15 runs and ending Nepal’s three-match winning run in the group stage.
The result was especially valuable for Hong Kong because it secured their progression to the semi-finals. Nepal also advanced despite the defeat, with both teams finishing on six points in Group A. Nepal topped the group on net run rate, while Hong Kong finished second.
For Hong Kong, the victory was built around two outstanding individual performances: Hayat’s unbeaten 117 with the bat and Aizaz Khan’s four-wicket spell with the ball. Together, they ensured that Nepal’s strong chase fell just short in a highly competitive Premier Cup encounter.
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