Asian Games 2026: Nepal script historic win vs Afghanistan

Nepal scripted a historic victory at the ongoing Asian Games 2026, defeating Afghanistan by five wickets in the preliminary group stage at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, on Friday. The win was a major moment for Nepal as they secured another memorable victory against a strong international side.

This was Nepal’s first T20 victory over Afghanistan since the 2014 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, where Nepal defeated Afghanistan by nine runs. Later that year, Afghanistan beat Nepal by eight runs in the quarter-finals of the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

The victory also added to Nepal’s growing record against Test-playing nations. Nepal had previously recorded their first-ever win over a Full Member nation by defeating the West Indies by 19 runs in a T20I in Sharjah on September 27, 2025. With the win over Afghanistan, Nepal have now beaten two Test-playing nations in international cricket.

Nepal stun Afghanistan in Asian Games 2026 Group A clash in Japan

Nepal produced one of the biggest moments of the Asian Games 2026 so far, stunning Afghanistan by five wickets with 16 balls to spare in Japan on Friday. The victory gave Nepal a strong start to their Group A campaign and created a major talking point in the tournament.

Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bat first, but Nepal’s bowlers kept the pressure on from the start. Spinners Kushal Bhurtel and Lalit Rajbanshi shared seven wickets as Nepal restricted Afghanistan to 102/7 in 20 overs at Nisshin.

Nepal also struck early by removing Afghanistan’s top three batters. Hassan Eisakhil was dismissed for a two-ball duck, Mohammad Akram scored two runs from eight balls, while Karim Janat made nine off nine balls. Nepal then chased down the target comfortably to complete a memorable five-wicket victory.

Bhurtel's 4-wicket haul and Jora-Paudel stand power Nepal's chase

Kushal Bhurtel started with the ball as Nepal produced a strong performance against Afghanistan in the Asian Games 2026. He took four wickets for 21 runs, while Lalit Rajbanshi picked up three wickets for 13 runs. Their efforts restricted Afghanistan to 102/7, giving Nepal a manageable target.

Nepal lost both openers cheaply, with Bhurtel dismissed for a duck and Aasif Sheikh scoring just two runs. However, Sundeep Jora steadied the chase with 34 runs, while Rohit Paudel remained unbeaten on 33. Dipendra Singh Airee also scored 15 before Nepal completed the chase in 17.2 overs to win by five wickets.

The victory also kept Nepal’s qualification hopes alive in Group A. Afghanistan currently have two points, while Nepal also have two points and can move to the top of the group if they beat Japan. In Group B, Hong Kong defeated Oman by 41 runs, with Ayush Shukla taking three wickets. The result keeps the group qualification race open ahead of Oman’s match against Malaysia.

First win over Afghanistan since 2014 — What it means for Nepal's quarterfinal hopes

Nepal’s five-wicket win over Afghanistan was their first T20 victory against them since 2014. The result ended Afghanistan’s winning start to the Asian Games 2026 campaign and gave Nepal an important boost in Group A.

Afghanistan had opened their campaign with a victory over Japan on Thursday. They carried that momentum into the match against Nepal, but their batting struggled after losing early wickets. Nepal’s bowlers then restricted Afghanistan to 102/7 before the chase was completed in 17.2 overs.

The result has made the Group A qualification race more interesting. Nepal now have two points from their two matches and can move to the top of the group if they defeat Japan. Afghanistan also have two points, so their final position will depend on Nepal’s result and the net run rate.