Which Match Are We Talking About?
The focus of this report is the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia & East Asia‑Pacific Qualifier 2025 match between Nepal and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that was played on 12 October 2025 in Oman (Al Amerat Cricket Ground). It was a close and exciting T20 game that went down to the wire — Nepal beating UAE by just 1 run in a tense, last‑over finish.
This match is a good one to analyze because it shows how associate teams have been getting tighter in competition and how even the smallest edges can turn games around.
How Did the Toss and Start Go?
Nepal won the toss and elected to bat first. It was a typical T20 decision — bat first, put up something competitive, and then defend it in the second innings. For teams outside the top tier, winning the toss often feels like winning a small advantage because conditions can vary quickly, and scoring first gives a target to defend under pressure.
From the outset it didn’t look like an ordinary T20. Nepal tried to build a good total, UAE tried to chase it, and both sides had moments where things looked like they could go their way.
What Was the Final Score?
Here’s a simple match summary showing how both teams fared:
| Team | Innings | Score | Overs | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nepal | 1st | 140/6 | 20 overs | Won by 1 run |
| United Arab Emirates | 2nd | 139/9 | 20 overs | Lost |
Nepal posted a total of 140/6, and UAE fell just short on 139/9 — a thriller decided by the narrowest of margins.
So that’s what happened at the end, but here’s a closer look at how both sides performed.
How Did Nepal’s Batting Go?
Nepal’s innings was about building partnerships and keeping the scoreboard ticking — not the biggest T20 total, but good enough in the end.
Nepal Batting Scorecard (T20)
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kushal Bhurtel | 28 | 26 | 2 | 2 | 107.69 |
| Aasif Sheikh (C & wk) | 51 | 47 | 4 | 1 | 108.51 |
| Rohit Paudel | 20 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 105.26 |
| Kushal Malla | 10 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 90.90 |
| Dipendra Singh Airee | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Others | – | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 140/6 | 20 overs | – | – | – |
Some key points:
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Aasif Sheikh played a steady innings and anchored the Nepal batting with a half‑century.
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Kushal Bhurtel also contributed well at the top and helped Nepal get momentum in the early powerplay.
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Other batters chipped in but couldn’t make big knocks — still that total proved just enough, with a bit of cushion at the end.
Nepal didn’t put up a huge total, but the combination of good starts and a sensible middle order kept them competitive.
How Did UAE Respond in the Chase?
UAE’s chase was dramatic — they got closer than many expected but just didn’t quite cross the line.
UAE Batting Scorecard (T20)
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alishan Sharafu | 58 | 40 | 3 | 5 | 145.00 |
| Dhruv Parashar | 32 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 177.78 |
| Rahul Chopra (wk) | 7 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 63.64 |
| Zahid Ali | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Others | – | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 139/9 | 20 overs | – | – | – |
Some important notes:
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Alishan Sharafu scored a quickfire 58 which kept UAE in the game and gave them hope deep into the chase.
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Dhruv Parashar also contributed briskly, keeping the required run rate manageable.
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The rest of the batting order couldn’t quite keep up the required momentum in the crunch overs.
When it came down to the final overs, UAE needed just a few runs more, but couldn’t quite get there — losing by a single run.
Who Was the Player of the Match?
In this match, the Player of the Match award went to Dipendra Singh Airee of Nepal, who made valuable contributions both with the bat (although low score in this game itself) and with the ball earlier in the tournament, and was crucial in the tight moments here.
Dipendra Singh Airee is one of Nepal’s top match‑winners in recent years. Even if his batting in this particular game was brief, his leadership and experience helped Nepal stay calm in a pressure chase.
What Were the Key Moments?
This game tilted on a couple of key moments:
– Early Steady Partnership
Nepal’s opening pair setting up the innings in the first half was vital. Aasif Sheikh’s half‑century ensured Nepal had something defendable — not massive, but defendable.
– Sharafu’s Knock for UAE
When Alishan Sharafu got going, UAE looked like they might chase down the total comfortably. His 58 was the backbone of the chase and nearly pulled them through.
– Tight Death Bowling by Nepal
In those final overs, Nepal’s bowlers took some crucial wickets and kept the runs in check — especially in the last few balls when it really mattered. That discipline ultimately won the game.
If Sharafu had one more big hit or one less wicket had fallen at a key moment, the outcome could easily have changed. That’s how tight this match was.
How Close Was the Game?
Cricket is often decided by big margins or shocking collapses, but here it was just one run. That’s one of those scores you remember if you follow associate cricket.
UAE was in the match throughout, but every small error — a single missed run, a dot ball here and there — counted against them. Such T20 games come down to one or two balls that make the difference.
Nepal vs UAE Historical Context
This wasn’t the only tight game between Nepal and UAE. In fact, across different tournaments, Nepal and UAE have played several close matches.
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In a Tri‑Nation T20I match in October 2023, Nepal chased down UAE’s 140/7 and won by 7 wickets thanks to Rohit Paudel’s 51.
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In another match in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 in March 2023, Nepal won by 42 runs after scoring 229/8 and restricting UAE to 187.
So there seems to be this trend — when these two teams meet, they often produce tight cricket and moments where advantage swings either way.
What Do Fans Often Ask About This Match?
Who scored the highest runs for Nepal?
Aasif Sheikh scored the highest for Nepal with 51 in this match.
Who scored the best for UAE?
Alishan Sharafu top‑scored for UAE with a brisk 58.
Where was the match played?
This particular match was at Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Al Amerat, Oman.
How many overs were played?
Both sides played the full 20 overs in this T20 match.
How Does This Match Fit in the Bigger Picture?
Matches like this are crucial for associate teams like Nepal and UAE, especially when playing in qualifiers for major tournaments such as the T20 World Cup. Winning close matches builds confidence and experience, and it’s these kinds of tight games that help teams grow and improve under pressure.
Nepal has been making steady progress and producing some strong results in limited‑overs cricket, and this one‑run win adds to their belief that they can compete with teams like UAE on any given day.
Final Thoughts
Cricket is a game of tiny margins sometimes, and this match was exactly that — one run here, one wicket there, swing of momentum in the final over. Nepal just held on, and they did it with calmness in big moments.
For UAE, it was a case of coming so close yet not quite finishing the job. But they showed good batting firepower and competitiveness. In these games, confidence grows just by being in the match until the last ball.
This was a classic example of why T20 cricket is exciting: it can go right down to the last ball, and a match that seems over can suddenly be won in the blink of an eye.