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KUALA LUMPUR — A captain’s knock from Indu Barma and a remarkably economical bowling spell by Manisha Upadhayay guided Nepal Women to a tense four-wicket victory over Indonesia Women in the 6th match of the Asian Games Women's Qualifier at the Bayuemas Oval on Thursday.

Chasing a target of 114, Nepal overcame a few mid-innings hiccups to cross the finish line with three balls to spare, cementing their spot at the top of Group B with four points from two matches.

Indu Barma Anchors the Chase After Early Shocks

Nepal’s pursuit of 114 runs got off to a rocky start. Openers Samjhana Khadka (1) and Puja Mahato (9) were dismissed cheaply, leaving the team in early trouble. When wicketkeeper Rubi Poddar fell for a duck to Ni Made Putri Suwandewi, Nepal found themselves under immense pressure.

Middle-order batter Sony Pakhrin stepped up to stabilise the innings, playing a resilient knock of 29 off 36 balls, anchored by three boundaries. Following Pakhrin's departure, skipper Indu Barma took absolute control of the chase.

Barma played a masterful, unbeaten innings of 42 off 43 balls, smacking five boundaries to keep Nepal abreast of the required run rate. Although Kabita Kunwar (14) and Rubina Chhetry (0) fell in quick succession to Ni Ariani, veteran all-rounder Sita Rana Magar came out with aggressive intent. Magar blasted an unbeaten 13 off just 6 balls at a strike rate of 216.66, smashing three boundaries to finish the game in style in the final over.

For Indonesia, Ni Made Putri Suwandewi (2/16) and Ni Ariani (2/26) bowled brilliantly but couldn't completely stall Nepal's deep batting lineup.

Sakarini’s Fifty Ignored as Upadhayay Suffocates Indonesia

Earlier in the day, Indonesia won the toss and elected to bat first. Opener and captain Ni Putu Ayu Nanda Sakarini carried her bat through the entire innings, scoring a well-crafted 56* off 62 balls, hitting three boundaries.

Despite Sakarini holding one end firm, Indonesia struggled to break free against a disciplined Nepali bowling attack. Ni Luh Dewi contributed a slow 23 off 33 balls before being trapped leg-before.

Nepal's breakout performer with the ball was young pacer Manisha Upadhayay, who delivered an incredibly parsimonious spell. Upadhayay gave away just 9 runs in her 4 overs, picking up 2 wickets at a phenomenal economy rate of 2.25. Riya Sharma provided excellent support, registering figures of 1/17 from her 4 overs, restricting Indonesia to 113/4 in their allotted 20 overs.

Match Summary

With two consecutive wins, Nepal Women have firmly established their dominance in Group B, while Indonesia remains winless after two fixtures.