Nepal have been set a target of 129 runs to win the final Twenty20 International against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday. After Nepal captain Dipendra Singh Airee won the toss and elected to field at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, the UAE posted 128-8 in their allotted 20 overs.

Pacer Hemant Dhami provided an immediate breakthrough by dismissing Muhammad Waseem leg-before (LBW) on the very first ball of the match. In the second over, Nandan Yadav removed Alishan Sharafu for just one run, caught brilliantly by wicketkeeper Lokesh Bam.

Dhami struck again in the third over, dismissing Harprit Singh for one. UAE opener Abid Ismani showed some resistance, scoring 30 runs off 22 balls, including two boundaries and two sixes, before falling LBW to Sandeep Lamichhane. Shahab Alam, who conceded 17 runs in his opening over, bounced back in his second to dismiss Shoaib Khan for a duck, while Nilansh Keswani was run out for zero in the same over.

Struggling at 48-6 in the eighth over, the UAE found stability through Akashdeep Nath and Muhammad Arfan, who shared a 64-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Arfan contributed 32 runs off 36 balls, hitting two fours and a six. Lamichhane then removed Khuzaima Bin Tanveer for a duck on the subsequent delivery. Akashdeep remained unbeaten on 53, striking three fours and four sixes in his 42-ball knock, while Muhammad Zuhaib finished on eight not out.

Sandeep Lamichhane was the pick of the bowlers, returning remarkable figures of 3-6 from his four overs, including one maiden. Hemant Dhami claimed 2-20, while Nandan Yadav and Shahab Alam took one wicket apiece, conceding 44 and 29 runs respectively.

The UAE lead the series after winning the first match by six wickets. Spin all-rounder Santosh Yadav, who made his T20 International debut today, was included in the playing XI as one of four changes. Yadav conceded 11 runs in his lone over.

Nepal’s lineup saw Lokesh Bam, Aarif Sheikh, Santosh Yadav, and Shahab Alam replace Arjun Saud, Sundeep Jora, Basir Ahmad, and Sher Malla.