Nepal launched their bid for the 2025 Asia Cup with a hard-fought five-wicket victory over Malaysia in their opening match of the 2024 ACC Men’s Premier Cup at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Al Amerat, Oman on Friday.

Chasing 144, the defending champions Nepal achieved the target in 19.2 overs losing five wickets, but had to survive some scare from the Malaysians late in the innings.

Despite starting a clear favourites, the Rhinos had a slow start to their innings managing just 59 runs from the first ten overs and it almost proved costly when Malaysia captain Virandeep Singh got the prized wickets of dangermen Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee in the 17th over.

But Gulsan Jha played a game-changing 7-ball 19 to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Nepal started at snail’s pace scoring just 49 runs from the first eight overs, with openers Kushal Bhurtel making 24 runs off 24 balls and Aasif Sheikh scoring 32 runs from 35 balls.

Pavandeep Singh found the first breakthrough when he trapped Bhurtel leg before in the 7.5 overs. Virandeep next removed Sheikh in the 11.1 overs, and Kushal Malla soon walked back adding a cheap 7.

Captain Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee instilled some smoothness in Nepal’s run-flow but Virandeep hit back taking the quick wickets of Paudel and Airee to put Nepal in trouble.

Paudel reached his 1000 T20I run landmark in the 9.1 over—joining Deependra Singh Airee and Kushal Bhurtel and becoming the third Nepali batter to achieve the milestone, before departing back making 27 runs off 24 balls in the 16.1 overs, caught by Muniandy.

Paudel has scored 1023 T20I runs from his 42 innings.

Singh then gave Nepal a scare removing Airee, who made 20 runs off 11 balls, in the 16.6 overs.

But Jha held his nerve.

With Nepal needing 30 runs from the last three overs, Jha and Sundeep Jora put everything at stake to add 13 runs in the 18th over.

Jha then hammered a six and a four off Virandeep in the 19th over to guide Nepal past the target.

Jora scored 12 runs off nine balls.

Virandeep took 3-35, while Pavandeep and Muhammad Wafiq picked one wicket each.

Earlier, Malaysia opted to bat first and posted 143-3 from their 20 overs with the help of a half-century from captain Virandeep.

After Airee ended Amar Azim’s slow knock of 18-ball 16 in the powerplay, Singh added 82 runs with Sharvin Muniandy for the second wicket to power the Malaysians to an average total.

Singh was unconquered on 72 runs. His 57-ball knock featured four boundaries and four sixes.

Muniandy, who was bowled by Abinash Bohara in the 16.1 overs, scored 41 runs facing 33 deliveries.

Airee took two wickets for Nepal.

Nepal play their next group match against Qatar on Saturday.

Nepal are pitted alongside Malaysia, Qatar, Hong Kong and and Saudi Arabia in Group A. Group B consists of Bahrain, Cambodia, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, which will be played on April 19.

The final will take place on April 21.

The winners will book their ticket to the next year’s Asia Cup.

Hosts Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong also won their opening matches of the Premier Cup.

Oman beat Bahrain by three runs, UAE saw off Kuwait by seven wickets and Hong Kong won against Qatar by 26 runs.