In the semi-final of the ACC Premier Cup in Oman, Nepal and UAE are set to clash this Friday, in what promises to be an exciting match of Associate Cricket. The game is scheduled to kick off at 12:00 PM Nepali time.
In T20 International history, Nepal and UAE have faced off nine times, with Nepal emerging victorious in five matches and UAE clinching four. In their most recent five encounters, Nepal has won three times, while UAE has won twice.
The last meeting between the two teams occurred last year during the ICC T-20 World Cup Asia Regional Qualifier Final, where Nepal secured a convincing victory over UAE.
Nepal triumphed by 8 wickets, chasing down UAE’s total of 134 runs with 17 balls to spare. Aasif Sheikh starred for Nepal with an unbeaten half-century ( 64* ), supported by captain Rohit Kumar Paudel( 34* ). UAE’s Vriitya Aravind (64) played a notable innings, but it wasn’t enough to stop Nepal.
Notably, Nepal and UAE have clashed twice in Oman before, with UAE emerging victorious on both occasions. The first encounter took place in a four-nation series preceding the 2022 T20 World Cup Qualifiers, where Nepal suffered a 25-run defeat. UAE continued their dominance in Oman by defeating Nepal again in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup Qualifiers, denying Nepal a chance to qualify for the World Cup.
In their most recent meeting in Oman during the 2022 T20 World Cup Qualifier, UAE secured a comprehensive win over Nepal by 68 runs. Despite Nepal’s strong performance in the group stage, UAE’s formidable batting lineup, led by Muhammad Waseem and Vriitya Aravind, proved too much for Nepal’s bowlers.
The upcoming semi-final match holds significant stakes, with the winner advancing to the final and securing a spot in the Asia Cup 2025. As defending champions of the ACC Premier Cup, Nepal aims to maintain their unbeaten record in the tournament.
