Kathmandu: Nepal secures a spot in the quarterfinals of the 19th Asian Games men's cricket tournament by defeating Maldives with a commanding lead of 138 runs. Fast bowler Abinash Bohara's remarkable performance, claiming six wickets against Maldives, played a pivotal role in Nepal's qualification.

Winning the toss and opting to bat first in Hangzhou, China, Nepal posted a total of 212 runs for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted 20 overs. In response, Maldives could only manage 74 runs in 19.4 overs.

Bohara's outstanding bowling figures of six wickets for 11 runs in 3.4 overs set a new record, making him the first Nepali bowler to achieve such a feat in T20 international cricket. Earlier, Sandeep Lamichhane and Karan KC had taken five wickets each in T20 international cricket.

Nepal's captain, Rohit Kumar Paudel, led from the front with the bat, scoring the highest with 52 runs off 27 balls, including three sixes and three fours. Other notable contributions came from Kushal Malla (47* off 20), Kushal Bhurtel (35 off 18), and Gulshan Jha (35 off 21).

In the bowling department, Maldives' Ismail Nazuwan claimed three wickets.

Nepal, topping Group 'A,' will now face one of the teams from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan in the upcoming quarterfinals. The victory against Maldives follows Nepal's earlier comprehensive win over Mongolia, securing an unbeaten status in Group 'A.' Mongolia and Maldives are eliminated from the tournament, while test-status nations have directly qualified for the quarterfinals. Hong Kong has advanced from Group 'B,' with the qualifier from Group 'C' yet to be determined.