Aasif Sheikh's Century Powers Nepal to ACC Premier Cup Title, 2027 Asia Cup Spot

Nepal beat the UAE by 44 runs in the final of the ACC Men's Premier Cup at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur, securing the title and a place at the 2027 Asia Cup, to be hosted in Bangladesh.

Opener Aasif Sheikh anchored Nepal's innings with a superb 102 off 106 balls, his second ODI century, sharing a 97-run opening stand with Arjun Kumal (43) before Gulshan Jha provided a late flourish with 52 off just 38 balls. Nepal posted a competitive 313 for 9, with captain Rohit Paudel also chipping in with 40.

Chasing 314, the UAE were undone by a batting collapse despite a battling unbeaten century from Rahul Chopra, who could not find enough support at the other end as his side were bowled out for 269 in 49.1 overs. Karan KC led Nepal's attack with 3 wickets, while Lalit Rajbanshi took two, with captain Sandeep Lamichhane among five other bowlers to chip in with a wicket apiece. Sheikh was named Player of the Match for his century, continuing his standout tournament with the bat.

The win marks Nepal's second ACC Premier Cup title after their 2023 triumph, extending their record of Asia Cup qualifications to two, while the UAE, who had entered the final unbeaten, will miss out on the continental tournament having failed to defend their previous qualification.