Kuwait emerged victorious in the final of the quadrangular T20I series held in Hong Kong, defeating Nepal by a narrow margin of three runs to claim the title.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Kuwait posted a competitive total of 174 runs for the loss of seven wickets. Ravija Sandaruwan was the standout performer, scoring 63 runs off 36 deliveries. Nepal’s Sompal Kami and Nandan Yadav picked up two wickets each to restrict the flow of runs in the later stages.

In response, Nepal were bowled out for 171 runs in 19.3 overs. The chase was anchored by a brilliant innings from Bashir Ahmad, who scored 80 off 43 balls, smashing eight boundaries and four sixes. He found strong support from Nandan Yadav, who contributed an aggressive 37 runs off just 14 balls.

Nepal were in deep trouble at one stage, having lost eight wickets for just 92 runs. However, Bashir and Nandan staged a dramatic lower-order comeback that reignited hopes of a historic win. The duo dragged the game into the final over, with Nepal needing 11 runs to win. Bashir’s dismissal on the third ball of the last over sealed Nepal’s fate, handing Kuwait the championship.

Earlier in the group stage, Nepal had defeated Kuwait in their head-to-head match. However, in the title-deciding game, Nepal’s top-order failed to fire. Kushal Malla and Dipendra Singh Airee were dismissed for ducks, while captain Rohit Paudel managed only 7 runs.

With this result, Nepal finish the tournament as runners-up, while Kuwait lift the trophy in a closely contested finale that showcased the growing competitiveness of Associate cricket.