Nepal, Netherlands start with wins

Afghanistan, the favourites to win Group B at the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, suffered a comprehensive defeat to their closest rivals, Netherlands, who romped home with seven wickets and 43 balls to spare. Having won the toss and decided to bat, only two Afghanistan players - Mohammad Shahzad and Najibullah Zadran - made it into double figures in a meagre total of 90. None of the Netherlands bowlers conceded more than 5.50 runs an over, with Mudassar Bukhari, Paul van Meekeren, Pieter Seelaar and Ahsan Malik all claiming two wickets. Captain Peter Borren then thrashed 38 from 15 balls after two wickets for Mohammad Nabi had briefly checked the run chase.

Geraint Jones' experience helped guide Papua New Guinea to a high-scoring four-wicket victory against troubled Kenya as they chased down 177 with 14 balls to spare. Jones hit 44 off 32 balls, but it was Kila Pala who top-scored with 46 off 30 deliveries as PNG, whose warm-up victory against Ireland now looks less of a fluke, always kept themselves ahead of the rate. Steve Tikolo, drafted back in for this tournament in a desperate measure by Kenya, opened the bowling and conceded 28 off two overs as the PNG openers cut loose during the Powerplay. Although they both fell inside the first six overs, PNG did not let the momentum go to waste. Tikolo had earlier produced his own hard-hitting display with a rapid 38 and Collins Obuya's unbeaten 53 set up what appeared a commanding total, but Kenya's bowling proved well below what was required.

Nepal began their campaign with a huge victory over Denmark, but they will be concerned that they lost five wickets in the chase of a low target, and had to depend on their captain Paras Khadka. Nepal's bowlers shot out Denmark for 79 in 19.4 overs, with Sagar Pun taking 3 for 12 and Basant Regmi 2 for 8. Only three Denmark batsmen made it into double figures. Nepal's chase got off to a horrific start though, with two wickets falling before they had scored. Khadka then dominated a 67-run partnership for the third wicket by scoring 48 off 34 balls. After he was dismissed, Nepal lost two more wickets with the score on 68, before they achieved the target in 13.1 overs.

A collection of nugget-sized scores from Bermuda's batsmen allowed them to post 149, after which Janeiro Tucker and Jacobi Robinson took three wickets each to sink Scotland. Bermuda lost wickets regularly after choosing to bat, and only three batsmen made it past 20. Opener Dion Stovell top scored with 29, and Lionel Cann contributed 27. Scotland were comfortably placed in their chase, with three of their top four batsmen getting starts and passing 25, but the rest of their batting line-up fell away tamely. From 109 for 3 in the 15th over, Scotland were eventually dismissed for 131 in 19.5 overs, with Tucker and Robinson doing all the damage.