Photo Credit: ICC
In a highly thrilling match in the jampacked TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Oman got a narrow win in the super over in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final Asia.
Upon winning the toss, the hosts Nepal scored 184/6 in their 20 overs, with fifties from Gulshan Jha (54 off 25) and captain Rohit Paudel (52 off 37 not out) after Kushal Bhurtel had given a good start with 31(22) and Karan KC finished off with 20(6)*. Bilal Khan bowled with the figures of 3-26 for Oman, while Aqib Ilyas picked 2 wickets and Zeeshan Maqsood got 1 wicket to his name.
In reply, Kashyap Prajapati contributed with a 52-ball 63 at the Omani top order, and was assisted by Aqib Ilyas with 33(19) and later by captain Zeeshan Maqsood with 26(18). Nepal got back into the game with 4 quick wickets in the middle order, but a 9-ball 24 from Mohammad Nadeem at the death took Oman near the finish line. With 2 runs needed off in the last ball, Nadeem got run out when returning for the second to tie the game. Karan KC and Sandeep Lamichhane got 2 wickets, while Gulshan Jha, Bibek Yadav, Abinash Bohara, and Sompal Kami got a wicket each in Nepal’s defense.
Mohammad Naseem Khushi struck 3 sixes off Abinash Bohara in the super over, to take Oman to 21/0. Nepal lost their wicket in the form of Kushal Bhurtel off the very first ball, and could only manage 10 runs in the end after Kushal Malla hit the last two balls for fours, and Oman emerged as winners in the competition.
Oman’s Kashyap Prajapati was named the Player of the Match for his innings of 63(52) that turned out to be the foundation for Oman’s victory in the end.
Oman’s Aqib Ilyas was named the Player of the Tournament with 106 runs and 10 wickets to his name.
Brief Scores:
Oman 184/9 in 20.0 Overs (Kashyap Prajapati 63, Sandeep Lamichhane 2-30, Karan KC 2-30) beat Nepal 184/6 in 20.0 Overs (Gulshan Jha 54, Rohit Paudel 52*, Bilal Khan 3-26 ) in Super Over.
Note
About the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup qualification
For the first time, 20 teams will form part of the event and will be divided into four groups of five. The top two teams in each of the groups will move to a Super Eight phase, where the remaining teams will be split into two groups of four. The top two in each group will then make their way to the semi-finals.
