Nepal national women’s cricket team defeated Kuwait by 25 runs to notch up a second successive victory at the ACC Women’s Twenty20 Championship on Saturday.

Sent to bat first after losing the toss, Nepal posted a moderate target of 108 runs losing four wickets at the Kinrara Academy Oval in Kuala Lumpur. Rubina Chhetry scored not out 34 off 27 deliveries that included four boundaries and Indu Barma smashed two fours to stay unbeaten on 28.

Opener Bindu Rawal contributed 11 runs before she was caught by Mariamma Hyder off Maryam Omar in the fifth over.

Hyder then crippled the top order taking two wickets in the eighth over, first sending Sita Rana Magar for just 5 runs and removing her opening partner Jyoti Pandey, who hit 15 runs facing 24 balls, in the penultimate ball, caught by Balasubrimani Shanti.

But Barma and captain Chhetry anchored the innings, sharing an unbeaten 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket to lay the foundation for victory.

Kajal Shrestha was trapped leg before by Khadija Khalil.

The win cements Nepal’s position atop Group ‘B’ standings at four points with two matches remaining in the group stage.

Hong Kong, who also started their championship campaign with a 14-run victory over rock bottom Bhutan earlier on Saturday, are two points behind.

Bahrain are third and Kuwait are fourth with one point each.

In reply, Kuwait opener Omar departed cheaply for 5 runs but her opening partner Priyada Murali steadied the ship hitting 31 off 40 deliveries that featured two fours.

But Sangita Rai, who returned the match figures of 6-4 in a 50-run win over Bhutan on Friday, had Murali caught behind in the 14th over to ease pressure on Nepal.

Kuwait skipper Amna Tariq scored 14 runs in a slow 39-ball knock as Siobhan Gomez (1) and Khadija Khalil (2) failed to provide support.

Hyder came at number seven and scored a quickfire 16 but Rana Magar brought an end to their 13-run late stand in the 17.5 over. Rana Magar then removed Maryyam Ashraf in the next ball to secure victory for Nepal.

In Group ‘B’, hosts Malaysia maintained their lead after a 10-wicket thrashing of Qatar gave them a second straight victory.

Electing to field first, Malaysia bowlers Winifred Duraisingam and Nur Dania Syuhada took two wickets each to restrict Qatar to 69 runs.

Captain Duraisingam and Wal Julia scored 29 and 31 runs, respectively, to lead their side to a victory at home.

The United Arab Emirates, whose opening match against Oman was washed out by rain in Bangi on Friday, thumped Singapore by 10 wickets in Kuala Lumpur to stay second on three points.

The UAE women elected to field first after winning the toss and wreaked havoc on Singapore batting to skittle them out for a low total score of just 29.

Chaya Mughal and Esha Oza took three wickets each while Vaishnave Mahesh and Suraksha Kotte pocketed two wickets each.

In reply, Oza hit five boundaries in her 14-ball 29 knock to lead the UAE to a comfortable victory. Theertha Satish made 3 runs.

Oman are in the third position with 1 point in Group ‘A’.

Qatar and Singapore are winless.