---
title: "Nepal Stun Afghanistan by 5 Wickets at Asian Games 2026, Boost Quarter-Final Hopes"
url: https://whatsthescore.in/blog/nepal-stun-afghanistan-by-5-wickets-at-asian-games-2026-boost-quarter-final-hopes
author: "Arpan Ghosh"
author_url: https://whatsthescore.in/author/arpan-ghosh
author_title: "Senior Cricket Analyst, Historian & Former Cricketer"
publisher: "What's The Score"
category: "Cricket"
type: news
published: 2026-09-25T14:17:00+05:30
updated: 2026-09-30T07:38:46+05:30
reading_time_minutes: 6
tags: ["AFG vs NEP", "Afghanistan Cricket", "Afghanistan vs Nepal", "Asian Games 2026", "Asian Games Cricket", "Dipendra Singh Airee", "Group A", "Japan Cricket", "Kushal Bhurtel", "Lalit Rajbanshi", "Najibullah Zadran", "Nepal Cricket", "Nepal Cricket News", "Nisshin", "Rohit Paudel", "T20I Cricket"]
license: "Quotation with attribution and a link is permitted. Full reproduction is not."
canonical: https://whatsthescore.in/blog/nepal-stun-afghanistan-by-5-wickets-at-asian-games-2026-boost-quarter-final-hopes
---

# Nepal Stun Afghanistan by 5 Wickets at Asian Games 2026, Boost Quarter-Final Hopes

*Nepal stunned Afghanistan by five wickets in their Asian Games 2026 Group A clash in Nisshin, Japan. Kushal Bhurtel took 4/21 and Lalit Rajbanshi 3/13 as Afghanistan were restricted to 102/7. Rohit Paudel then struck an unbeaten 33 as Nepal reached 103/5 in 17.2 overs, recording only their second T20I win over Afghanistan.*

By Arpan Ghosh · 25 September 2026 · 6 min read

## Key takeaways

- Nepal defeated Afghanistan by five wickets in Group A of the Asian Games 2026 men's cricket competition.
- Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan.
- Afghanistan were restricted to 102/7 from 20 overs.
- Nepal chased the target with 103/5 in 17.2 overs, winning with 16 balls remaining.
- Kushal Bhurtel was Afghanistan's chief destroyer with 4/21, while Lalit Rajbanshi took 3/13.
- Faisal Shinozada and Najibullah Zadran both scored 30 for Afghanistan.
- Afghanistan collapsed to 65/6, with Bhurtel dismissing Mohammad Ishaq and Darwish Rasooli from consecutive balls.
- Rohit Paudel anchored Nepal's chase with an unbeaten 33 from 32 balls.

**Nepal produced a memorable performance at the Asian Games 2026,
defeating Afghanistan by five wickets in their Group A men's cricket
clash at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, on September 25.**




Nepal's bowlers laid the foundation by restricting Afghanistan to
**102/7 from 20 overs**. Despite losing early wickets in
the chase, Nepal remained composed and reached
**103/5 in 17.2 overs** to complete a significant victory
with 16 balls remaining.




The result gives Nepal an excellent opportunity to finish at or near
the top of Group A and strengthens their position in the race for the
Asian Games 2026 quarter-finals.




## Afghanistan vs Nepal Asian Games 2026: Match Summary





| Match Detail | Information |
| --- | --- |
| Match | Afghanistan vs Nepal, 4th Match, Group A |
| Tournament | Asian Games 2026 Men's Cricket |
| Date | September 25, 2026 |
| Venue | Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, Japan |
| Afghanistan | 102/7 (20 overs) |
| Nepal | 103/5 (17.2 overs) |
| Result | Nepal won by 5 wickets |
| Balls Remaining | 16 |





## Afghanistan Elect to Bat First Against Nepal




Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first, looking to build
on their 48-run victory over hosts Japan in their opening Group A
match.




Nepal, however, immediately put Afghanistan under pressure with
disciplined spin bowling.




## Lalit Rajbanshi Gives Nepal a Dream Start




**Lalit Rajbanshi** produced an outstanding opening spell
that prevented Afghanistan from building momentum during the powerplay.




Hassan Eisakhil was dismissed without scoring before Mohammad Akram
fell for two and Karim Janat departed for nine.




Afghanistan were reduced to **16/3**, putting Nepal firmly
in control of the contest.




Rajbanshi finished with excellent figures of
**3/13 from four overs**.




## Faisal Shinozada and Najibullah Zadran Lead Afghanistan Recovery




After the early collapse, **Faisal Shinozada** and
experienced batter **Najibullah Zadran** attempted to
rebuild Afghanistan's innings.




Shinozada scored **30 from 33 balls**, including two
boundaries and a six, while Najibullah contributed
**30 from 40 deliveries**.




Their innings gave Afghanistan some stability, but Nepal's bowlers
continued to control the scoring rate.




## Kushal Bhurtel Takes Four Wickets




The biggest damage during the middle and later stages of Afghanistan's
innings came from **Kushal Bhurtel**.




Bhurtel produced an outstanding spell of
**4/21 from four overs**, including a maiden.




He dismissed Faisal Shinozada before removing Mohammad Ishaq and
Afghanistan captain Darwish Rasooli with consecutive deliveries.




Darwish was trapped lbw for a golden duck, leaving Afghanistan
struggling at **65/6**.




## Nangeyalia Kharote Pushes Afghanistan Past 100




With Afghanistan in danger of being restricted below 100,
**Nangeyalia Kharote** provided useful late runs.




He finished unbeaten on **17 from 15 balls**, hitting
three fours and helping Afghanistan reach 102/7 from their 20 overs.




## Afghanistan Batting Scorecard Highlights





| Batter | Runs | Balls |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Faisal Shinozada | 30 | 33 |
| Najibullah Zadran | 30 | 40 |
| Nangeyalia Kharote | 17* | 15 |
| Karim Janat | 9 | 9 |
| Mohammad Ishaq | 7 | 10 |





## Nepal Need 103 to Beat Afghanistan




Nepal entered the chase requiring **103 runs from 120 balls**.




The target appeared modest, but Afghanistan's bowling attack ensured
that Nepal could not simply cruise through the chase without pressure.




## Nepal Lose Both Openers Early




Nepal's chase did not begin smoothly, with both opening batters
departing cheaply.




Afghanistan attempted to turn the low-scoring match back in their
favour, but Nepal's middle order absorbed the pressure.




## Sundeep Jora Steadies Nepal's Chase




**Sundeep Jora** played an important role in stabilising
Nepal after the early wickets.




He kept the scoreboard moving while wickets fell at the other end,
helping Nepal remain ahead of the required scoring rate.




His contribution allowed the experienced middle order to take greater
control of the chase.




## Rohit Paudel Takes Control




Former Nepal captain **Rohit Paudel** produced the most
important batting contribution of the chase.




Paudel remained unbeaten on **33 from 32 deliveries**,
playing a composed innings under pressure.




Rather than taking unnecessary risks against Afghanistan's attack,
he rotated the strike effectively before accelerating as Nepal moved
closer to the target.




## Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee Guide Nepal Towards Victory




With Nepal requiring another 47 runs, Rohit Paudel was joined by
captain **Dipendra Singh Airee**.




The experienced pair kept the chase under control through intelligent
strike rotation and carefully selected boundaries.




Airee contributed **15 runs** before being dismissed
with Nepal needing only one more run for victory.




## Paudel's Back-to-Back Fours Break Afghanistan's Resistance




One of the decisive moments came during the 16th over when Rohit Paudel
hit **Karim Janat for consecutive boundaries**.




Those fours reduced the target to single figures and effectively
removed most of the remaining pressure from Nepal's chase.




Paudel then struck another boundary from Abdullah Ahmadzai at the end
of the 17th over to bring the scores level.




## Nepal Complete Five-Wicket Victory




Dipendra Singh Airee was dismissed from the first delivery of the
18th over while attempting to finish the match with a big shot.




**Gulsan Jha** then came to the crease and scored the
winning single from the next delivery.




Nepal reached **103/5 in 17.2 overs**, completing a
five-wicket victory with **16 balls remaining**.




## Afghanistan vs Nepal Final Score





| Team | Score | Overs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Afghanistan | 102/7 | 20 |
| Nepal | 103/5 | 17.2 |





**Result: Nepal won by five wickets with 16 balls remaining.**




## Key Performers: Afghanistan vs Nepal





| Player | Team | Performance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kushal Bhurtel | Nepal | 4/21 |
| Lalit Rajbanshi | Nepal | 3/13 |
| Rohit Paudel | Nepal | 33* |
| Dipendra Singh Airee | Nepal | 15 |
| Faisal Shinozada | Afghanistan | 30 |
| Najibullah Zadran | Afghanistan | 30 |





## Only Nepal's Second T20I Win Over Afghanistan




The result carries additional historical significance for Nepal.
According to Cricbuzz, it is only their
**second victory over Afghanistan in men's T20 internationals**.




The win therefore represents an important moment for Nepal cricket,
particularly given the stakes of the Asian Games group stage.




## What Does Nepal's Victory Mean for Group A?




Group A consists of **Afghanistan, Nepal and hosts Japan**.




Afghanistan began the competition by defeating Japan by 48 runs,
but Nepal's victory over Afghanistan has significantly changed the
group situation.




Nepal will face Japan in their remaining Group A match on
**September 26**.




The final Group A standings will determine which team qualifies as
the group winner and which advances as runner-up.




## Why Group A Matters for India




The outcome of Group A is particularly important for defending
champions **India**.




India received direct entry into the Asian Games 2026 knockout stage
and are scheduled to face the
**Group A runner-up in the second quarter-final on September 28**.




The final Afghanistan-Nepal-Japan standings will therefore determine
India's first opponent in their men's Asian Games title defence.




## Nepal Make a Strong Asian Games 2026 Statement




Nepal could hardly have asked for a stronger start to their Asian
Games 2026 campaign.




Their bowlers controlled Afghanistan from the opening overs before
Rohit Paudel and the experienced middle order ensured that the chase
did not slip away.




Afghanistan entered the contest after comfortably defeating Japan,
but Nepal's disciplined spin bowling exposed their batting vulnerabilities
and transformed the Group A qualification race.




With Japan next, Nepal now have an opportunity to build on one of
their most significant recent T20I victories and secure their place
in the Asian Games knockout stage.

## Frequently asked questions

### Who top-scored for Afghanistan?

Faisal Shinozada and Najibullah Zadran both scored 30 runs.

### Who scored the winning run for Nepal?

Gulsan Jha scored the winning single at 17.2 overs, immediately after Dipendra Singh Airee was dismissed.

### How many balls were remaining when Nepal won?

Nepal completed the chase with 16 balls remaining.

### How significant was Nepal's victory over Afghanistan?

It was only Nepal's second victory over Afghanistan in men's T20 internationals.

## Sources

- [Cricbuzz - Afghanistan vs Nepal Asian Games 2026 Score and Commentary](https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/170993/afg-vs-nep-4th-match-group-a-asian-games-2026)
- [Cricbuzz - Afghanistan vs Nepal Asian Games 2026 Match Info](https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-match-facts/170993/afg-vs-nep-4th-match-asian-games-2026)
- [Cricbuzz - Asian Games 2026 Schedule and Results](https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/12563/asian-games-2026/matches)
- [ICC - Asian Games Cricket: All You Need to Know](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/asian-games-cricket-all-you-need-to-know)
- [Olympics.com - Asian Games 2026 Cricket Schedule](https://www.olympics.com/en/news/asian-games-2026-cricket-schedule-x9927)

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Originally published by What's The Score at https://whatsthescore.in/blog/nepal-stun-afghanistan-by-5-wickets-at-asian-games-2026-boost-quarter-final-hopes