Nepal snapped their four-match losing run at home as they defeated Namibia by three runs in a last-over thriller in the Nepal Tri-Nation T20I Series at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Friday.

The win also kept alive the Rhinos’ hopes to progress into Tuesday’s final. Rohit Paudel’s men had lost both their first round matches—against Namibia by 20 runs and the Netherlands by two runs—of the tri-nation series.

Unbeaten Netherlands top the three team-standing with four points from two matches. Nepal and Namibia are tied on two points but Nepal stay second due to superior net run rate. The top two teams will compete in the final.

In-form Namibia were chasing 181 for victory and needed 12 runs off the last over but Karan KC held his nerves and delivered an exceptional final over, conceding only eight runs.

Ruben Trumpelmann and Zane Green did their best to fish out the runs but KC was better. KC gave away just four runs from the first four balls before sealing the victory by removing Trumpelmann in the fifth ball.

Bernard Scholtz hit a four off the final delivery but it was too late as Namibia could only manage 177-7.

Namibia were aiming to maintain their winning streak against Nepal in Kathmandu after also coming out triumphant in both their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 matches last month.

But they got their chase off to a poor start when Sompal Kami and KC removed openers Malan Kruger for a cheap three and Michael van Lingen for 10.

Kami then put the Namibians in further trouble at 50-3 when he got rid of Jean-Pierre Kotze for 25 in the eighth over.

Captain Johannes Jonathan Smit and Jan Frylinck resurrected their innings adding 83 runs for the fourth wicket.

Smit hit 50 runs off 26 balls, scoring six boundaries and two maximums.

Dipendra Singh Airee brought Nepal back into the game picking the prized wickets of Smit and dangerman Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton—who had smashed a record century to hand Nepal the opening loss of the series on Wednesday—in the successive deliveries of the 16th over.

Abinash Bohara got the crucial wicket of Frylinck, who played 37 runs off 29 balls, to give Nepal momentum heading into the final overs.

KC then showed his class to hand Nepal a morale-boosting victory.

Trumpelmann contributed 14 while Green was not out on 23 runs.

KC, Kami and Airee took two wickets each, while Bohara pocketed one.

Earlier, Nepal posted 180-8 in the allotted 20 overs after Namibia invited them to bat first.

Nepal faced early setbacks losing opener Aasif Sheikh for one and captain Rohit Paudel for 10.

They were soon reeling at 64-4 when Anil Sah, who took the place of regular opener Kushal Bhurtel, for 23 and Gulsah Jha for 26.

But Aarif Sheikh and half-centurian Kushal Malla put on an 85-run stand for the fifth wicket to revive Nepal’s innings.

Malla played an unconquered knock of 37-ball 55 that featured one four and four sixes. Shiekh made 31 runs facing 24 deliveries.

Airee then added quick 8-ball 16 to guide Nepal to a fighting total.

Ben Shikongo was the pick of Namibia bowlers with three wickets. Jack Brassell took two while Trumpelmann, Loftie-Eaton and Scholtz grabbed one wicket apiece.

Nepal play the Netherlands on Saturday.