Champion of the Men’s T20I Series, Kuwait.

HONG KONG, April 14: In a pulsating final at the Mission Road Ground, Kuwait scripted history by clinching a thrilling 3-run win over Nepal, becoming the champion of the Hong Kong Men’s T20I Series 2025, powered by India Club and presented by Hong Kong China Cricket.

Opting to bowl first, Nepal made early breakthroughs, but Clinto Anto (26 off 14) and Ravija Sandaruwan (63 off 36) laid a solid foundation with aggressive strokeplay. Their efforts were backed by Usman Ghani (23 off 15) and a handy finish by skipper Mohamed Aslam (13* off 15), guiding Kuwait to a competitive 174/7 in 20 overs. Among Nepal's bowlers, Sompal Kami (2/26) and Nandan Yadav (2/34) impressed, while Yasin Patel, playing his 50th T20I, kept things tight with 2 economical wickets.

Nepal’s chase got off to a horror start, collapsing to 92/8 despite a lone warrior effort from Basir Ahmad, who smashed a brilliant 80 off 43 balls. Debutant Naveenraj Rajendran (2/26) and Anudeep Chandamara (3/18) triggered a top-order collapse, with Yasin Patel’s miserly spell (2/24) putting a stranglehold in the powerplay.

However, a late resurgence led by Nandan Yadav (37 off 14) and Basir brought Nepal right back into the contest. Needing 11 off the final over, a no-ball six from Anudeep swung the pendulum, but the bowler held his nerve, delivering two dots and the final wicket as Clinto Anto took the catch to seal an epic win. Anudeep Chandamara was deservedly named Player of the Final for his match-turning spell.

This result is all the more significant given Nepal’s impressive stature in world cricket. Having played in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 — where it came within a whisker of defeating South Africa, losing by just 1 run — Nepal entered this series ranked 17th in the world, compared to Kuwait’s 24th. Since the T20I ranking system was officially introduced in 2019, this victory marks one of Kuwait's biggest scalps and a giant leap forward. With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on the horizon, set to be played in India and Sri Lanka, Kuwait will be eyeing the Asia Qualifiers in September 2025 with renewed belief and purpose