Kathmandu, Mar 9: In a friendly T20 cricket match held in Hong Kong today, Nepal faced a disappointing defeat at the hands of the hosts, losing by a margin of 73 runs.

Hong Kong, after winning the toss and opting to bat first, set a formidable target of 213 runs for Nepal by posting a total of 212 runs for the loss of six wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Babar Hayat emerged as the standout performer for Hong Kong, smashing a blistering century with 110 runs off just 49 balls, featuring three fours and an astonishing 13 sixes. Supporting contributions came from Martin Coetzee (31), Anshi Rath (39), and Aziz Khan (21*).

In response, Nepal struggled to find momentum in their batting innings and could only manage to score 139 runs before being bowled out in 16.4 overs. Vinod Bhandari showcased some resistance with a quickfire 41 runs off 22 balls, while Captain Rohit Kumar Paudel contributed 30 runs and Arif Shaikh added 38 runs to the total.

On the bowling front, Akash Chand made an impactful debut in T20 cricket for Nepal, claiming three wickets in the match.

The Nepali team, comprising players such as Rohit Kumar Paudel, Kushal Bhurtel, Vinod Bhandari, and others, traveled to Hong Kong on Thursday to participate in a triangular T20I series involving Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea. This friendly match served as a preparation ahead of the series, where Nepal will face Hong Kong in the opening match on February 27, followed by a fixture against Papua New Guinea on February 29. The final match of the triangular series is scheduled for the 30th of February.

As Nepal aims to bounce back from this defeat and make a strong showing in the upcoming series, the team will be looking to refine their strategies and performances in the matches ahead.