Nepal women's cricket team out of Asian Games after China defeat

Nepal's women's cricket team has been knocked out of the Asian Games qualification tournament following a narrow defeat to China. The team's hopes of advancing were dashed in the third-place playoff match held in Kuala Lumpur.

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Nepal’s innings never settled after early damage, with Puja Mahato (1), Samjhana Khadka (5) and Rubi Poddar (0) all falling cheaply.

Rain significantly impacted the game, reducing it to just seven overs per side. Nepal, after being sent in to bat, struggled to build momentum and posted a total of 50 for 5. Early wickets fell cheaply, and despite a late resistance from Kabita Kunwar, who scored an unbeaten 22, Nepal's score was below par.

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Kabita Kunwar provided late resistance, striking an unbeaten 22 off 10 balls with a four and a six.

Chasing a revised target of 43, China reached their goal on the final delivery, securing a five-wicket victory. This win was particularly significant for China, as it marked their first triumph over Nepal in this T20 format, despite Nepal having defeated them earlier in the group stage. The result means Nepal, a team that has regularly participated in Asian Games cricket since 2010, will miss out on this edition.

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Cai Yuzhi held her nerve at the end with an unbeaten 11 off 13 balls.