Muhammad Asim Powers Qatar Past Kuwait in ACC Premier Cup Chase

What happened: Qatar defeated Kuwait by four wickets in Match 18 of the 2026 ACC Men's Premier Cup at the YSD-UKM Cricket Oval in Bangi on September 7. After choosing to field, Qatar dismissed Kuwait for 233 in 49.5 overs and reached 235 for six in 35.5 overs. NDTV Sports' scorecard named Muhammad Asim player of the match for an all-round performance.

Watch the highlights:

Kuwait's innings: Kuwait lost Adnan Idrees and Ravija Sandaruwan inside six overs before Ali Zaheer made 47 from 76 balls and captain Mohammed Aslam added 42 from 54. Usman Patel scored 30, but two wickets fell with the total on 156. Nimish Lathief then provided the late impetus, finishing unbeaten on 47 from 38 balls with five fours and a six. Kuwait also received 24 extras.

Qatar's bowling: The wickets were shared, with Ikramullah Khan and captain Mirza Mohammed Baig taking two each. Asim's figures were the most economical of the full spells: one for 30 from 10 overs, including a maiden. Owais Ahmed conceded 27 from eight overs and took one wicket. Kuwait's eventual run rate was 4.68 per over.

How the chase unfolded: Shahzeb Afridi fell for seven at 9 for one, but Zubair Ali and Imal Liyanage added 106 for the second wicket. Zubair scored 53 from 58 balls, including four fours and two sixes, and wicketkeeper Liyanage made 56 from 81 with seven fours. Their stand reduced the pressure before Qatar lost both batters in the space of 21 runs.

The decisive surge: Asim accelerated with 48 from 35 balls, striking seven fours. Baig supplied 20 from 12, while Shahzaib Jamil hit four sixes in a 17-ball 31. Qatar lost Asim and Jamil close to the finish, but Daniel Louis hit eight from two balls and ended the match alongside Zeeshan Haider. Yasin Patel, Mohamed Shafeeq and Abdullah Zaheer each took two wickets for Kuwait, but Qatar scored at 6.56 per over and finished with 85 balls unused.

Why it matters: Qatar recorded a second consecutive win after beating Singapore by eight wickets on September 4, following earlier defeats by the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The Kuwait victory paired a controlled bowling effort with a chase featuring four scores of at least 31. Asim was central to both phases, first limiting Kuwait through the middle overs and then maintaining Qatar's momentum after the two half-centurions departed. Scores, individual figures, toss, venue and result are according to NDTV Sports' match scorecard.