Kathmandu, Mar. 11: The opening match of the tri-series between Nepal, Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea (PNG) was called off on Sunday at the Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground (aka Mission Road Ground) in Hong Kong, China.

Host Hong Kong was facing Nepal in the opening match of the tri-series being played in a single round-robin format. The match was abandoned as the rain did not stop the second time when Hong Kong was batting in the eighth over of the first inning. Nepal, winning the toss, had decided to bowl first. 

Match officials suspended the match when the ground received the first rainfall at the end of the 5th over. The match resumed after over half an hour as the rain stopped. Nevertheless, it rained again at the end of the 8th over, and it did not stop this time.

Nepal, losing to Hong Kong in the ‘Friendship Cup’ on Saturday, was looking for a win in the tri-series opener. Playing without Karan KC on Saturday, Nepal did not take the chance to rest KC on Sunday. Moreover, KC gave Nepal relief in the very first delivery as Hong Kong’s opener Martin Coetzee was caught out by Gulshan Jha. 

Meanwhile, Nepal could not break the partnership between skipper Nizakat Khan and Anshy Rath until the first interruption by rain. At the end of five overs, Hong Kong was at 43/1. As the match resumed, the partnership was finally broken by Jha. Bowling his second over, Jha bowled out Khan (25 off 20).

Nevertheless, as Babar Hayat, who scored a century against Nepal on Saturday, entered the crease and started partnering with Rath in the eighth over, it started raining again.

With Rath at 36 off 24 and Hayat scoring three runs in three deliveries he faced, the match never started after the second interruption.

Nepal and Hong Kong have shared one point each. The two teams will face PNG on Tuesday. Nepal is facing PNG in the morning session while the host will play against PNG in the afternoon.

The two matches on Monday will decide the two teams to play in the tri-series’ final on March 13.