In an exciting finish at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur on October 8, 2025, the Nepal Women’s cricket team triumphed over Malaysia Women by 5 wickets, successfully chasing down a modest target with 12 balls to spare. This victory allowed Nepal to clinch the five-match series 3–2, coming from behind to win the decider impressively.
After winning the toss, Malaysia chose to bat first but struggled on a pitch that required patience and skill. They only managed to post 103 runs for 7 wickets over their 20 overs. Winifred Duraisingam was the standout performer for Malaysia, scoring 40 runs off 46 balls and hitting five boundaries.
Other contributions came from Ainna Hamizah Hashim (15 off 19), Nur Izzatul Syafiqa (10 off 20), Mahirah Izzati Ismail (19 off 18), and Nur Dania Syuhada (11 off 14). Extras, chiefly wides, accounted for 6 runs, illustrating Nepal’s bowlers’ tight grip on the match.
On the bowling front for Nepal, Kabita Kunwar was exceptional, taking 3 wickets for just 16 runs in her four overs. Rajmati Airee also impressed with figures of 3 for 15, while Rachana Chaudhary took one wicket. The early breakthroughs, particularly by Airee, prevented Malaysia from amassing a larger total.
When it was Nepal’s turn to bat, they started positively. Samjhana Khadka provided a brisk start with 13 runs off 10 balls before Ainna Hamizah Hashim claimed her wicket. Rubi Poddar then played a steady innings, scoring 26 runs off 25 balls, setting a solid foundation for the middle order. Kabita Kunwar continued her stellar performance with a valuable 14 off 19. Puja Mahato anchored the lower middle order, scoring 23 runs off 24 balls before being bowled by Nur Alya Batrisyia in the 18th over.
Nepal faced a brief wobble as a few wickets fell, including that of captain Indu Barma, who managed only 8 runs off 13 balls before being caught by Nur Dania Syuhada. However, the finishing touches were expertly handled by Rubina Chhetry (15 not out off 15) alongside Kabita Joshi (1 not out), guiding Nepal to victory with some calmness and composure. They reached 104 runs for 5 wickets in just 18 overs.
For Malaysia, Nur Dania Syuhada and Ainna Hamizah Hashim each took one wicket, but it wasn’t enough to stop Nepal’s charge. This final match solidified Nepal’s comeback in the series, sealing it at 3–2. It was a fitting conclusion to a hard-fought battle, with both teams pushing each other to their limits.
While Malaysia’s batting showed some flashes of brilliance thanks to Duraisingam, their struggle to accelerate in the later overs proved costly. On the other hand, Nepal’s all-round performance, especially from Kunwar and Airee with the ball and timely contributions from the lower order, made all the difference.
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