Nepal’s cricket team just gave their fans a day to remember. On Saturday, they defeated United Arab Emirates by 44 runs in the final of the ACC Men’s Premier Cup at Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur. The win did not just hand Nepal a trophy either. It secured them a spot at the 2027 ODI Asia Cup in Bangladesh, only the second time in the country’s history they have qualified for cricket’s biggest continental stage.
How the Final Unfolded
Nepal won the toss and chose to bat first, a decision that paid off almost immediately thanks to their opening pair. Aasif Sheikh and Arjun Kumal put together a solid 97-run opening partnership, giving the innings exactly the foundation it needed against a determined UAE bowling attack.
Aasif Sheikh was the standout performer, compiling a brilliant 102 off 106 balls, with eight fours and four sixes. It marked his second career ODI century, and the timing could not have been better. Down the order, Gulshan Jha provided a late explosion, smashing 52 off just 38 balls including four sixes.
Captain Rohit Paudel chipped in a composed 40. That depth throughout the batting lineup helped Nepal post 313 for 9 in their 50 overs, their highest-ever ODI total against the UAE.
Chasing 314 to win, UAE never quite found the rhythm needed to keep pace with such a demanding target. Rahul Chopra fought hard, carrying his innings all the way through for an unbeaten century of his own, finishing on 100 off 105 balls.
Despite his effort, wickets fell steadily at the other end, and UAE were eventually bowled out for 269 in 49.1 overs, falling 44 runs short.
Key Players of the Match
Individual performances told a clear story about why Nepal walked away champions. Aasif Sheikh was named Player of the Match for his century, and rightfully so, given how central his innings was to Nepal’s imposing total.
Beyond this final, leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane was named Player of the Series overall, having picked up an impressive 17 wickets across the tournament, a number that speaks volumes about Nepal’s bowling depth throughout the competition.
On the bowling side during the final itself, Ibrar Ahmed stood out for UAE, claiming four wickets in a losing effort. Unfortunately for the UAE, wickets from Khuzema Tanveer, Haider Ali, and Abid Usmani couldn’t stop Nepal’s middle and lower order from piling on enough runs to make the target essentially unreachable.
For UAE, Rahul Chopra’s unbeaten century deserves genuine credit, even in defeat. Carrying an innings from start to finish while wickets fall around you takes real composure, and his knock was arguably the lone bright spot in an otherwise disappointing chase for the hosts.
What This Win Means for Nepal’s Cricket Future
This marked the third edition of the ACC Men’s Premier Cup, and Nepal’s win here mirrors an almost identical win they pulled off back in 2022, when they also beat the UAE in a Premier Cup final to qualify for the 2023 Asia Cup.
Nepal’s head to head record against the UAE also tilts slightly in their favour heading into this result, having won 11 of their 19 previous ODI meetings before this final, including their two most recent encounters back in April and May of this year. That kind of recent form clearly gave Nepal genuine confidence walking into Saturday’s match.
For the UAE, the disappointment runs deeper than just losing a final. As defending Premier Cup champions, they have now missed out on Asia Cup qualification entirely, meaning they would not feature at the 2027 tournament in Bangladesh.
Nepal now turns its attention toward preparing for a tournament that will pit them against some of the continent’s cricketing powerhouses when the 2027 Asia Cup gets underway in Bangladesh, scheduled to run from June 18 to July 4.
