KATHMANDU: Nepal has won the Asian Games Qualifiers following another excellent performance by Kushal Bhurtel.

In the match concluded on Monday, Nepal emerged victorious by 19 runs via the DLS (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern) method.

Chasing a target of 189 runs set by Hong Kong, Nepal had reached 114 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in 11.3 overs when rain halted play.

Nepal was declared the winner after the rain failed to stop.

Nepal’s opener Kushal delivered another outstanding batting performance to smash a half-century.

He scored 65 runs off 40 balls, hitting 8 fours and 3 sixes.

Rohit Kumar Paudel remained unbeaten on 35 runs along with captain Dipendra Singh Airee on 9 runs, while Aasif Sheikh failed to open his account.

Hong Kong’s Ayush Shukla and Ehsan Khan took one wicket each.

Earlier, after being put in to bat first at the Singapore Oval Ground in Singapore, Hong Kong posted 188 runs for the loss of 7 wickets, powered by a massive 84-run partnership between Anshuman Rath and Shahid Wasif.

Hong Kong’s opener Anshuman top-scored with 80 runs.

Facing 45 balls, he smashed 6 fours and 6 sixes. Wasif played an aggressive innings of 55 runs.

While Shiv Mathur was dismissed for 26 runs, other batters failed to make an impact.

For Nepal, Sher Malla was the pick of the bowlers, taking a maximum of four wickets while conceding 32 runs.

Karan KC picked up two wickets, while Sandeep Lamichhane claimed one.