Kathmandu: Nepal agonizingly lost to Kuwait by four runs in the final of the Hong Kong Quadrangular Twenty20I Series going down to the Gulf opponent for the first time in any format of the game on Sunday.

Chasing a 175-run target set by Kuwait, who were sent to bat first, Nepal were bowled out for 171 runs with three balls to spare at the Mission Road Ground in Mong Kok. It was also the first defeat for Nepal in the Series who were the only team to enter the final remaining unbeaten.

Nepal stumbled early on in the run chase and were left reeling at 28-4 by the fifth over and 92-8 at the completion of the 14th over. Basir Ahamad, who came to bat at number six, played an explosive 80 off 43 balls to give Nepal a real shot at clinching the title. But he was dismissed as the last wicket pouring cold water on Nepal’s ambition of clinching the trophy as they required four runs for victory.

Ahamad’s innings studded with eight fours and four sixes, kept Nepal in contention until the last over. Basir and Nandan Yadav (37 off 14 balls) shared a 72-run partnership for the ninth wicket.

Nandan was caught and bowled in the fourth delivery of the penultimate over by Mohamed Safeeq. Basir still shouldered Nepal’s hopes as they needed 11 runs off the last over.

The 21-year-old struck a six in the very first delivery of the last over and Nepal were also rewarded with an extra run after the umpire’s call for a no ball. Nepal needed only four runs from the last six balls. He failed to collect runs in the next two balls against Anudeep Chenthamara before being caught by Clinto Anto in the third delivery.

Opener Aasif Sheikh (21 runs-11 balls) was the third Nepali batter to collect double digits figure with bat.

Anudeep was the peak of Kuwait bowling returning with figures of 2.3-0-18-3 while Naveenraj Rajendran grabbed two wickets.

Earlier, Kuwait opener Ravija Sandaruwan scored a brisk 63 runs off 36 deliveries, including six boundaries and four sixes. He was dismissed in the 13th over, caught by Aasif Sheikh in a Karan KC delivery.

Sandaruwan’s opening partner Clinto Anto made a valuable contribution of 26 runs from 14 balls smashing a four and three sixes. Usman Patel contributed 23 runs off 15 and Meet Bhavsar chipped in with a quickfire 16 runs off  eight as they posted 174-7.

Medium pacer Sompal Kami and Nandan Yadav grabbed two wickets each for Nepal.

Nepal had defeated Kuwait by six wickets in their round robin league game.