Nepal qualified for the 2027 Asia Cup by beating the United Arab Emirates in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup final. Nepal scored 313 and stopped the UAE at 269, winning by a margin of 44 points. Aasif Sheikh contributed 102 to Nepal’s score and received the Player of the Match award. The victory at Bayuemas Cricket Oval in Kuala Lumpur secured Nepal’s second Asia Cup appearance.
Aasif scores 102 to lead Nepal
Nepal chose to bat first. Aasif played 106 balls and scored 102 points. He remained in the game while several teammates played alongside him, giving Nepal a player who could keep scoring as the partnerships changed. His total was the largest individual contribution to Nepal’s score.
The contribution mattered beyond his personal total. Aasif’s presence meant that Nepal did not repeatedly have two newly arrived players trying to adjust to the conditions together. Other players could add to the score alongside a teammate who had already spent considerable time facing the UAE bowlers. That helped Nepal build towards a total above 300.
Speaking after the final, Aasif said the playing surface was good for batting and that he had wanted to continue scoring after making a useful start. He credited his teammates for their contributions throughout the tournament. His own score was important, but he described the success as a team achievement rather than the result of one player’s performance.
Rohit and Gulshan help Nepal reach 313
Rohit Paudel scored 40 and Gulshan Jha added 52. Rohit helped Nepal continue building its score, while Gulshan provided a stronger finish. Nepal reached 313 by the end of its allotted batting time. Nine of its players were out by that point.
Ibrar Ahmad was the UAE’s most successful bowler, sending four Nepal players out. He interrupted Nepal’s progress several times, but the other contributions still took the score beyond 300. The UAE therefore needed to reach 314 to win. A score of 313 would only have equalled Nepal’s total, rather than secured an outright victory.
| Team | Points scored | Players out |
|---|---|---|
| Nepal | 313 | 9 |
| United Arab Emirates | 269 | 10 |
Nepal stops the UAE from building on Suri’s start
Tanish Suri gave the UAE an early contribution of 42 points from 28 balls. Karan KC and Lalit Rajbanshi then helped Nepal stop the UAE from building a lasting partnership. Karan sent three players out during the match, while Lalit stopped two.
Each time a player had to leave, the UAE needed another teammate to begin contributing alongside the person still in the game. That made sustained progress towards the required score more difficult. Nepal could continue defending its total while reducing the number of available opponents. The UAE still had resistance to offer through Rahul Chopra, but it could not protect enough partnerships to complete the task.
Rahul Chopra scores 100 but the UAE finishes short
Rahul Chopra scored 100 and was still batting when the UAE’s opportunity to add further points ended. He helped the team reach 269 after the earlier difficulties. That left a gap of 44 between the two teams’ scores, with Nepal winning the match and the qualifying place.
Rahul’s personal score did not allow him to continue alone. Cricket requires two players from the scoring team to be involved together. Once the tenth UAE player was out, there was nobody left to form a partnership with him. The team therefore had to stop at 269 even though Rahul himself remained in play. His 100 remained a significant contribution, but it could not change the final result.
Qualification is the main consequence of the final
The title gives Nepal a place in the 2027 Asia Cup. It will be the country’s second appearance after its first in 2023. The qualification creates the prospect of facing the region’s leading full-member teams in a major tournament.
The final does not itself establish Nepal’s eventual group or the order of its Asia Cup fixtures. Those details belong to the later tournament arrangements. What is settled is the place: Nepal won the qualifying event’s decisive match and earned the opportunity to return to the larger competition.
Aasif and Lamichhane receive separate awards
Aasif was named Player of the Match for his contribution to the final, including his score of 102. Sandeep Lamichhane received the award for the best player across the tournament. One honour recognised the decisive match, while the other covered performances throughout the competition.
Nepal’s victory also depended on players beyond the award winners. Rohit and Gulshan increased the score alongside Aasif, while Karan and Lalit stopped important UAE players. The team needed both parts of that performance: first, enough points to make the UAE’s task difficult; then, successful bowling that kept the opponents below Nepal’s score. Together, those contributions secured the title and the return to the Asia Cup.
