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SINGAPORE — Nepal clinched the Asian Games Qualifiers 2026 title on Monday, defeating Hong Kong by 19 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in a rain-shortened final. With this victory, Nepal successfully secured their championship ahead of the upcoming Asian Games in Japan this September.

The Chase and Rain Interruption

Chasing a formidable target of 189 runs set by Hong Kong, Nepal was batting fluently at 114/2 in 11.3 overs when heavy rain disrupted play. Because the match could not be resumed, the officials used the DLS method to determine the final score, placing Nepal comfortably 19 runs ahead of the par score.

Opener Kushal Bhurtel provided Nepal with a blazing start, smashing a brilliant 65 runs off just 40 balls, laced with 8 boundaries and 3 sixes. Following his dismissal, skipper Rohit Kumar Paudel (35* off 24 balls) and the explosive Dipendra Singh Airee (9* off 4 balls) kept Nepal well ahead of the required run rate until the skies opened up.

Hong Kong's Innings

Earlier in the day, Nepal won the toss and elected to field first. Hong Kong put up a challenging total of 188/7 in their allotted 20 overs, driven by two standout performances:

• Anshuman Rath: A blistering 80 runs off 45 balls (6 fours, 6 sixes).

• Shahid Wasif: A rapid 55 runs off 28 balls (7 fours, 3 sixes).

Nepal's Bowling Card

Nepal's bowling attack was spearheaded by Sher Malla, who dismantled Hong Kong's batting depth with an exceptional 4-wicket haul.

With the qualifiers successfully under their belt, a confident Nepali squad now eyes the grand stage at the Asian Games in Japan later this autumn.