Nepal failed to qualify for the 2024 Women’s Twenty20 Asia Cup after they lost their ACC Women’s Premier Cup semi-final match against hosts Malaysia by four wickets at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

Malaysia qualified for the Asia Cup as one of the two finalists, with the United Arab Emirates being the other team to secure a spot in the Asian competition. Malaysia and the UAE will vie for the title on Sunday.

Nepal have now failed to make the Asia Cup for the third edition in a row. Their only two previous appearances at the biennial competition came in 2012 and 2016.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Nepal set a 116-run target for the hosts at the loss of six wickets.

Skipper Indu Barma top scored for Nepal with 29 runs from 37 balls. Opener Kabita Kunwar (23) and former captain Rubina Chhetry (20) made good contributions.

Dolly Bhatta scored a quick-fire 25 off 14 balls after coming in the 16th over to take Nepal to 115-6 in the allotted 20 overs.

Malaysia’s Mahirah Izzati Ismail took 2-10, while captain Winifred Duraisingam pocketed one wicket.

In reply, Elsa Hunter scored an unbeaten half century as Malaysia chased down the target in 19.5 overs, despite an early bump.

Malaysia lost their openers Ainna Hamizah Hashim for 2 and Duraisingam for a duck but Hunter smashed 69 runs off 53 balls, hitting six boundaries, to guide the hosts to 116-6.

Mas Elysa (13) and Ismail (16) and Wan Julia (11) supported Hunter from the other wicket.

Nepal’s Sita Rana Magar and Kabita Joshi took two wickets each, while Kunwar and Chhetry picked one wicket apiece.