Afghans clinch ACC Premier League title

KABUL emerged as the champions of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Premier League by thrashing Nepal in the rain-curtailed final played in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.

Nepal won the toss and elected to field, with national team posting a formidable total of 263 runs in the stipulated 50 overs, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) spokesman said.

Farid Hotak told Pajhwok Afghan News Noor Ali Zadran scored 43 runs, Osman Ghani 51, Hashmatullah Shahidi 51 and Nabi Issakhel 36 to put their side in a commanding position.

Chasing the target, Nepal were 52 for the loss of five wickets in the 17^th over when rain started falling, forcing a disruption. When the match resumed two hours later, umpires set Nepal a target of 180 runs in 15 overs.

Nepali batsmen struggled against the Afghan bowling, as both openers were sent back to the pavilion in the 8th over with just 30 runs on the board. Dawlat Zadran was the pick of Afghan bowlers, claiming four quick wickets for 26 runs in seven overs.

Subash Khakurel (8), Naresh Budayair (10), Gyanendra Malla (11) and Binod Bhandari (5) fell cheaply while Sharad Bheswakar was dismissed for a duck. Skipper Paras Khadka top-scored for Nepal with 33 runs.

ACB Chairman Shahzada Massoud and Chief Executive Noor Mohammad Murad, meanwhile, congratulated the team and the nation on the emphatic 108-run win.

Cricket expert Zarab Shah Zaheer attributed Afghanistan’s convincing victory to the performance of upcoming players, particularly Ghani and Shahidi.

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