Nepal entered the final of the Women's T20 Quadrangular Series, despite facing a six-wicket defeat against hosts Malaysia at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

Nepal finished on top of the table on net run despite losing their match for the first time in the tournament and getting tied on four points with Hong Kong and the home team, Malaysia.

Nepal accumulated 0.853 net run rate to secure the top position in the group stage while Hong Kong wrapped up in the second position with a net run rate of 0.193. Malaysia, however, finished third with 0.007 net run rate.

Nepal will meet Hong Kong in the final on Saturday. Malaysia, who finished third, will take on Kuwait in the third place playoff game, also to be played on Saturday.

Put in to bat first, Nepal posted a paltry total of 83-7 in a game reduced to 18 overs a side due to the wet outfield. In the run chase, Malaysia made 85-4 in 16.2 overs to inflict on Nepal their first defeat of the tournament.

Nepal were off to a shaky start, losing opener Puja Mahato on one run in the first over. Her opening partner Kajal Shrestha, number three batter Indu Barma and captain Rubina Chhetry were the only Nepali players to get double-digit scores.

Chhetry, who came in to bat at number five, contributed 23 runs off 26 balls — the highest of the innings. She struck two hits to the boundary along with a six. Barma contributed 20 runs off 33 balls. Shrestha scored 18 runs off 21 that included a boundary.

Chasing the target, the Malaysian opener Ainna Hamizah Hashim contributed an unbeaten 37 runs, the highest of the innings. The player-of-the-match Hashim struck three boundaries. Batter number four Mahirah Izzati Ismail scored 21 runs off 24 balls. She hit a boundary before getting run out.

Nepal's Mahato, Sita Rana Magar and captain Chhetry bagged a wicket each.

Nepal had defeated Hong Kong by six wickets in their opening match on Tuesday and scored a 34 run victory over Kuwait the following day.

Hong Kong defeated Kuwait by 16 runs despite Anma Tariq’s player of the match winning 4-9.

Opener duo Mariko Hill (17) and Natasha Miles (16) played a 34-run stand to give Hong Kong a good start.

Tariq stopped their progress wrecking the middle order, with captain Kary Chan (4), Shing Chan (0), Maryam Bibi and Betty Chan (0) all falling victims to Tariq’s spin.

Except for the openers, no other Hong Kong batters were able to touch the double digit figures as they limped to a 75 run total in 20 overs.

The target looked easy but a collapse in the Kuwait batting triggered by a deadly Hong Kong bowling attack limited Kuwait to just 59 runs in 16.3 overs.

Betty Chan took 3-12 and Kary and Bibi pocketed two wickets apiece for Hong Kong.

Priyada Murali top scored for Kuwait with 16 runs and Oman, the only batter to score in double digit, made 12 runs.