Afghanistan vs Nepal: Nepal Beat Afghanistan by 5 Wickets in Asian Games 2026

Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bat first, but Nepal’s bowlers quickly put the Afghan batting lineup under pressure. Afghanistan finished with 102/7 from their 20 overs, leaving Nepal with a target of 103.

Kushal Bhurtel was the standout bowler for Nepal, taking 4 wickets for 21 runs, while Lalit Rajbanshi claimed 3 wickets for 13 runs. Afghanistan struggled to build a substantial total despite 30 runs each from Faisal Shinozada and Najibullah Zadran.

Nepal’s chase also began poorly. Kushal Bhurtel was dismissed for a duck and Aasif Sheikh made only 2, leaving Nepal under early pressure. Sundeep Jora then scored 34 from 35 balls, while Rohit Paudel added an unbeaten 33 from 32 balls to keep the chase under control.

Dipendra Singh Airee contributed 15 before being dismissed at 102/5 with Nepal just one run away from victory. Gulshan Jha scored the winning run from the next delivery, completing Nepal’s five-wicket victory in 17.2 overs.

The result gives Nepal an important Group A victory after Afghanistan had opened their campaign with a win over Japan. Nepal’s next match is against Japan on September 26, while Afghanistan’s group-stage campaign has now suffered a setback.

Afghanistan were unable to convert their strong start into a competitive total after choosing to bat first. Nepal’s bowlers kept taking wickets at important stages, preventing Afghanistan from building the partnerships needed to accelerate in the second half of the innings.

Faisal Shinozada and Najibullah Zadran provided the main resistance with 30 runs apiece. Their contributions helped Afghanistan recover from periods of pressure, but the innings never produced the late surge required to push the total well beyond 100.

Nangeyalia Kharote remained unbeaten on 17, but Afghanistan could only reach 102/7 from their 20 overs. The relatively modest target meant Nepal needed just 103 runs to win the match.

Nepal’s bowling attack was particularly effective at restricting Afghanistan during the middle and late overs. The wickets prevented Afghanistan from establishing the kind of batting platform that could have put significant pressure on Nepal during the chase.

With Afghanistan restricted to 102, Nepal entered the second innings needing only 103 runs for victory. The target appeared manageable, although Afghanistan’s early wickets briefly gave them an opportunity to defend the total.

Nepal began their chase of 103 under early pressure after losing Kushal Bhurtel for a duck and Aasif Sheikh for just 2 runs. Afghanistan had an opportunity to defend their modest total after making early inroads into Nepal’s top order.

Sundeep Jora then played an important stabilizing innings, scoring 34 runs from 35 balls. Rohit Paudel provided further control during the middle overs, contributing 33 runs from 32 balls as Nepal gradually moved closer to the target.

Their partnership helped Nepal recover from the early setbacks and kept the required run rate under control. Afghanistan needed wickets to regain momentum, but Nepal continued to make steady progress toward 103.

Dipendra Singh Airee added 15 runs before falling at 102/5 in the 18th over. With only one run required for victory, Gulshan Jha came to the crease and completed the chase from the next delivery.

Nepal reached 103/5 in 17.2 overs, securing a five-wicket win with 16 balls remaining. The recovery led by Jora and Paudel proved important after Afghanistan had made an early breakthrough with the ball.

Nepal’s chase looked vulnerable after Afghanistan removed both of Nepal’s opening batters cheaply. Kushal Bhurtel was dismissed without scoring, while Aasif Sheikh managed only 2 runs, leaving Nepal needing a calm response with the target still 103.

Sundeep Jora provided that response. He played a measured innings of 34 from 35 balls, rotating the strike and ensuring Nepal did not lose another quick cluster of wickets.

Rohit Paudel complemented Jora with a controlled 33 from 32 balls. Rather than taking unnecessary risks, the pair focused on keeping the scoreboard moving while reducing the pressure created by Afghanistan’s early breakthroughs.

The partnership was important because Afghanistan had started the chase with a realistic chance of defending 102. Once Jora and Paudel settled in, Nepal’s required target became increasingly manageable.

By the time the partnership had done its work, Nepal were firmly in control of the chase. Dipendra Singh Airee then helped take the team to the brink of victory before Afghanistan created one final moment of drama.

After Sundeep Jora and Rohit Paudel had steadied the innings, Nepal moved into the final stages of the chase with the target firmly within reach. Dipendra Singh Airee continued the recovery and helped Nepal reach 102/5.

The dismissal of Airee created a brief moment of tension. He was dismissed at 102, leaving Nepal just one run short of the 103-run target with five wickets down.

Afghanistan still needed another wicket to keep the match alive, but Gulshan Jha immediately ended the contest. He scored the required run from the next delivery, taking Nepal to 103/5 in 17.2 overs.

The finish completed Nepal’s five-wicket victory and left Afghanistan without enough runs to force the chase into the final overs. Nepal’s ability to recover from its early batting setbacks proved decisive.

Kushal Bhurtel was Nepal’s most effective bowler, finishing with 4 wickets for 21 runs. His spell played a major role in restricting Afghanistan to 102/7 and prevented their batting lineup from building sustained momentum.

Lalit Rajbanshi also made a significant impact with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 13 runs. Together, Bhurtel and Rajbanshi accounted for all seven Afghanistan wickets, keeping Nepal in control during the first innings.

With the bat, Sundeep Jora led Nepal’s scoring with 34 runs from 35 balls. Rohit Paudel added 33 from 32 balls, providing the stability Nepal needed after losing two early wickets.

The performances of Bhurtel and Rajbanshi with the ball gave Nepal a manageable target, while Jora and Paudel ensured that Afghanistan could not capitalize on the early wickets during the chase.

Afghanistan’s main problem was their inability to build enough momentum after choosing to bat first. Although Faisal Shinozada and Najibullah Zadran both scored 30, Afghanistan finished on only 102/7 from their 20 overs.

Nepal’s bowling attack consistently created pressure through wickets. Kushal Bhurtel returned 4/21 and Lalit Rajbanshi took 3/13, giving Afghanistan little opportunity to establish a substantial total.

Afghanistan then made an encouraging start with the ball by dismissing Kushal Bhurtel for a duck and Aasif Sheikh for 2. However, they could not maintain that pressure once Sundeep Jora and Rohit Paudel settled into the chase.

Jora’s 34 and Paudel’s 33 helped Nepal recover and reduced the pressure of the chase. By the time Dipendra Singh Airee was dismissed for 15, Nepal needed only one more run to complete the victory.

Afghanistan Innings

Nepal Bowling

Nepal Innings

Nepal completed the chase with 16 balls remaining. The result was secured when Gulshan Jha scored the winning run immediately after Dipendra Singh Airee’s dismissal had left Nepal on 102/5.

Nepal’s victory over Afghanistan is significant because it came after recovering from early pressure with both bat and ball. Restricting Afghanistan to 102/7 gave Nepal a realistic target, while the successful chase demonstrated their ability to recover after losing two wickets cheaply.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, will need to assess their batting performance after failing to convert the opportunity of batting first into a larger total. Their 102/7 score ultimately left too little margin for error once Nepal’s middle order settled into the chase.

Nepal’s next group-stage match is against Japan. Afghanistan will also need to respond in their remaining fixtures after suffering their first defeat in this match.

Nepal’s five-wicket victory gives the team an important start to the Asian Games 2026 campaign. After successfully chasing 103 against Afghanistan, Nepal will next face Japan in their group-stage schedule.

The Japan match will give Nepal another opportunity to build momentum in the tournament. Their bowling performance against Afghanistan, particularly the spells from Kushal Bhurtel and Lalit Rajbanshi, will be an important positive to carry forward.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, will need to regroup after being restricted to 102/7 and losing their chase defense. Their remaining matches will provide opportunities to recover from the defeat and strengthen their position in the group.

Afghanistan were restricted to 102/7 after Nepal’s bowlers kept the batting side under pressure throughout the first innings. Kushal Bhurtel led the attack with 4/21, while Lalit Rajbanshi added 3/13.

Nepal’s chase did not begin smoothly, with two early wickets putting the batting side under pressure. Sundeep Jora’s 34 and Rohit Paudel’s 33 then provided the stability required to move Nepal toward the target.

Dipendra Singh Airee took Nepal to within one run of victory before his dismissal created a brief late twist. Gulshan Jha finished the match from the next delivery, with Nepal reaching 103/5 in 17.2 overs.

The five-wicket victory gives Nepal an important result in the Asian Games 2026 group stage. Afghanistan, meanwhile, will need to improve their batting output in their remaining fixtures after failing to defend a total of 102.

Match details in this report are based on the above match coverage and scorecard references. The primary result reported is Nepal’s five-wicket victory after chasing Afghanistan’s 102/7.