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Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Oman secured qualification for the men's cricket competition at the Asian Games 2026 after impressive performances in the qualifying tournament in Singapore.
Nepal and Malaysia advanced from Group A, while Hong Kong and Oman emerged as the top two teams from Group B to book their places in the 10-team tournament scheduled to be held in Japan from September 24 to October 3, according to ESPNcricinfo. Nepal dominated the qualifiers with two emphatic victories. The T20 World Cup participants began their campaign with a commanding 221-run win over China after piling up 313/2, powered by opener Kushal Bhurtel's explosive 129 off just 43 balls. The total also helped Nepal become the first team to register multiple 300-plus scores in men's T20 cricket. Bhurtel continued his rich vein of form in Nepal's second outing, striking another century as his side posted 275/7 before defeating Malaysia by 167 runs. With Qatar withdrawing from the competition before the start of the tournament, Nepal's two victories were enough to secure top spot in Group A. Malaysia also confirmed their qualification after defeating China in its opening fixture. In Group B, Hong Kong and Oman remained unbeaten after recording victories over Bahrain and hosts Singapore. Their final league-stage meeting will determine the group winner and the semi-final pairings, though both teams have already guaranteed qualification for the Asian Games. The four qualifiers will join Asian Full Members Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, who earned automatic berths, along with hosts Japan. The men's cricket competition at the 20th Asian Games will feature 10 teams and will run from September 24, with the gold-medal match scheduled for October 3. Meanwhile, Thailand, Malaysia and China recently secured qualifications for the women's cricket event, which will be contested from September 17 to 22. (ANI)
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