Nepal women’s cricket team continued their winning run as they defeated Kuwait by 34 runs in the Women’s Twenty20 Quadrangular Series at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Wednesday.

A second win in as many matches also put them on the verge of qualification for the final. Nepal had defeated Hong Kong by six wickets in their opening match on Tuesday. Nepal top the four-team standings with four points from two matches and can ensure a spot in the final with a win over Malaysia on Friday.

Nepal, sent into bat first after losing the toss, were all out for 89-8 after a batting collapse.

Indu Barma top-scored for Nepal with 23 off 19 balls after opener Bindu Rawal contributed 20 runs.

Rawal’s opening partner Puja Mahato (0), Samjhana Khadka (1), Sita Rana Magar (7) and captain Rubina Chhetry (5) all fell cheaply, with Kuwait’s Mariamma Hyder doing the most damage.

Hyder ended the match with four wickets that included the scalps of Mahato, Khadka, Chhetry and Barma.

Barma and Kajal Shrestha, who played 19 not out, then dragged Nepal to a paltry total.

Maryam Oman pocketed two wickets for Kuwait while Priyada Murali and Khadija Khalil picked one wicket each.

In response, player of the match Barma took three wickets and Khusi Dangol picked two to help Nepal restrict Kuwait to just 55-8.

Zeefa Jilani (11) was the highest scorer of the Kuwait innings. Khalil made 10 and Mariamma Hyder played 9 not out.

Kabita Kunwar, Rana Magar and Ishwori Bist also grabbed a wicket each for Nepal.

Hong Kong women registered their first win of the series after they defeated Malaysia by 10 wickets on DL Method.

Iqra Sahar, Alison Siu, Mariko Hill and Maryam Bibi each took two wickets to skittle out Malaysia for 68 runs.

Yasmin Daswani (15 not out) and Hill (24 not out) then made light work of their innings, reaching the revised target of 42 runs in nine overs after rain had interrupted the play.

Malaysia had defeated Kuwait by eight wickets in their opening match on Tuesday.