Nepal got their ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier Asia (Eastern Region) off to a rocking start sweeping aside Myanmar by eight wickets in a game that lasted just 78 deliveries in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Wednesday.

Against the world cricket minnows Myanmar, Nepal decided to rest three national team regulars Sompal Kami, veteran spinner Basanta Regmi and middle order batsman Sharad Vesawkar. After Myanmar elected to bat first at the Kinrara Oval, spinners Sandeep Lamichhane and Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi did all the job sharing seven wickets between them to bundle out the opponents for just 29 runs in 10 overs.

Nepal needed just 18 balls to achieve the target but in the process lost also two wickets. Earlier, man-of-the-match Lamichhane took four wickets in two overs giving away just three runs, while Rajbanshi also gave three runs in his three-over spell taking three wickets along the way.

It was the second meeting in 12 years between the two teams having played in the 2006 ACC Asia Cup, also in Malaysia. Back then Nepal had bundled out Myanmar for 10 runs before overcoming the target in just two balls to notch up world cricket’s quickest ever run chase. Nepal revived the memories of that match after seamers Lalit Singh Bhandari and Karan KC opened the floodgates reducing Myanmar to 6-2 in 2 overs.

Ye Naing Tun (three) and skipper Htet Lin Aung then brought Myanmar’s biggest partnership—16 runs—of the day before Lamichhane and Rajbanshi ran rampage. Aung top scored with a 20-ball 16, his innings featuring two boundaries. Nepal used only four bowlers in the game.

Nepal’s chase was shaky as they lost opener Pradeep Airee (duck) in the second ball. Anil Sah hit a six and a four before falling leg before wicket (LBW) to Paing Danu. KC did the rest smacking an eight-ball 14 not out with a six and a four. Nepal will now take on hosts Malaysia in their second match on Saturday.

In other matches of the day, Malaysia hammered Bhutan by 67 runs and Thailand crushed China by 10 wickets. Thailand skittled out China for 35 runs and reached the target in just 16 deliveries. Singapore are the other team in the tournament. The seven-team Eastern Region Qualifier is the first hurdle for Nepal, who need to round up inside the Top Three to make it to the second round of selection process in Asia Qualifier. The six-team Asia Qualifier will send Top Two teams to the Global Qualifier from where top six will make it to 2020 World Twenty20 in Australia. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Kuwait have already secured their places in the Asia Qualifier after finishing Top Three in the Western Region Qualifier.

Summary

Nepal 30-2 in 3 overs (K KC 14 not out, AK Sah 11; P Danu 1-3, SH Wai 1-27) beat Myamar 29 in 10 overs (HL Aung 16, KK Lin Thu 4; S Lamichhane 4-3, LN Rajbanshi 3-3) by 8 wickets Man-of-the-match: S Lamichhane (NEP)