LAHORE: In a match that swung like a pendulum till the final delivery, Shaheens held their nerves to clinch a dramatic one-run victory over Nepal in the 30th fixture of the Top End T20 Series at Marrara Cricket Ground No.2 in Darwin, Australia.
Defending a modest 144-run total, the Shaheens relied on a composed final over from Faisal Akram, who conceded just six runs and claimed a crucial wicket to seal the win. Nepal, needing eight off the last six balls, fell agonisingly short at 143/7, despite a valiant effort from skipper Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee.
Paudel anchored the chase with a 52 off 44 balls, while Airee’s explosive 41 off 21 kept Nepal in contention until the final ball, where he was run out attempting a desperate second run. Earlier, Shaheens’ innings was rescued by a blistering cameo from Muhammad Irfan Khan, who top-scored with an unbeaten 42 off 26 balls, including three fours and a six. His 40-run partnership with Mohammad Wasim Jr (23 off 22) lifted the team from 60/6 to a competitive 144/9.
Nepal’s bowlers had dominated early, with Dipendra Singh Airee striking twice in the second over to reduce Shaheens to 4/2. Sompal Kami led the attack with 3/30, while Nandan Yadav and Bhurtel chipped in with timely breakthroughs.
In response, Shaheens’ bowlers staged a disciplined defense. Akram finished with 2/29, while Wasim Jr took 2/25 and Mohammad Salman added one scalp. With this win, Pakistan Shaheens climbed to second place in the standings with eight points from six matches, while Nepal remained eighth with four points.
