KUALA LUMPUR — Nepal have added another memorable chapter to their cricket journey, defeating the United Arab Emirates by 44 runs in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2026 final to lift the trophy and secure qualification for the 2027 Asia Cup.

The final at Bayuemas Oval belonged to Nepal from the moment Aasif Sheikh settled into his innings. His century gave Nepal the platform for a commanding 313 for nine, before the bowlers ensured UAE never completed the chase.

Aasif was at the heart of Nepal’s batting effort. The opener scored 102 from 106 balls, combining patience early in the innings with calculated aggression once he was established.

Rohit Paudel added an important 40, while Gulshan Jha provided the late momentum Nepal needed with a brisk 52. Their contributions helped Nepal push past 300 and put UAE under immediate pressure before the chase had even begun.

UAE’s Ibrar Ahmad was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets for 62 runs, but Nepal still finished with a formidable 313 for nine.

UAE fight, Nepal stay in control

UAE started their pursuit positively through Tanish Suri, who struck 42 from just 28 deliveries.

Nepal, however, refused to allow the chase to develop into a sustained threat.

Karan KC provided key breakthroughs and finished with three wickets for 49 runs, while Lalit Rajbanshi claimed two for 43. UAE lost wickets often enough to keep the required rate climbing.

Rahul Chopra produced a determined unbeaten century and kept UAE’s hopes alive deep into the innings, but the target eventually proved beyond reach.

UAE were dismissed for 269, handing Nepal a 44-run victory and the Premier Cup title.

A ticket back to the Asia Cup

The triumph means Nepal will play in the Men’s Asia Cup for only the second time in their history.

Their first appearance came in 2023, when Nepal shared the continental stage with India and Pakistan. The 2027 edition will now give another generation of Nepal supporters the chance to watch their team compete against Asia’s leading cricket nations.

Aasif Sheikh was named Player of the Match for his century in the final, while Sandeep Lamichhane earned the Player of the Series award after taking 17 wickets during the tournament.

For Nepal, the victory was bigger than another trophy. It delivered the result they had been chasing throughout the tournament — another place on Asian cricket’s biggest stage.

Brief scores: Nepal 313/9 in 50 overs (Aasif Sheikh 102, Gulshan Jha 52, Rohit Paudel 40; Ibrar Ahmad 4/62) beat UAE 269 all out (Rahul Chopra unbeaten century, Tanish Suri 42; Karan KC 3/49, Lalit Rajbanshi 2/43) by 44 runs.