Nepal Triumphs Over UAE by 7 Wickets in T20 World Cup Warm-Up Match
Nepal achieved a convincing victory against the United Arab Emirates in a T20 World Cup warm-up match, winning by 7 wickets. This match took place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai, India, as part of the preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
Nepal’s Dominant Bowling Performance
Winning the toss, Nepal chose to field first. The UAE was restricted to 145 runs in their allotted 20 overs, losing 6 wickets in the process. Karan KC and Sandeep Lamichhane were instrumental in the bowling attack, each claiming 2 wickets. Dipendra Singh Airee contributed with 1 wicket.
Top Performers for UAE
- Harshit Kaushik – 35 runs
- Sohaib Khan – 38 runs
- Aryansh Sharma – 25 runs
- Muhammad Zohaib – 19 runs
These players helped set a competitive total for the UAE, but it was not enough to secure victory.
Nepal’s Batting Success
In response, Nepal chased down the target in just 17 overs. Dipendra Singh Airee and Aarif Sheikh played crucial innings, with Airee scoring an impressive 50 runs off 31 balls and Sheikh finishing with 61 runs in the same number of balls.
Nepal lost both openers early, as Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh managed only 8 runs each. Captain Rohit Paudel added 16 runs but could not impede the team’s progress towards victory.
Upcoming Matches
Following this warm-up victory, Nepal will face Canada in their next practice match at the same venue on February 5. The team is set to begin its campaign in the ICC T20 World Cup against England on February 8, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, kicking off on February 7.
