Karan KC claimed five wickets including a hat-trick as Nepal reached the final of the Tri-Nation T20I Series on Thursday.

In the match played at the TU ground in Kirtipur on Thursday, Nepal hammered Papua New Guinea by 37 runs.

Chasing the target of 204 runs, PNG were bowled out in 166 runs in 19.4 overs. This is PNG’s third consecutive defeat.

Karan KC took five wickets at the cost of 21 runs in 3.4 overs. This is the first time that the Nepali bowler claimed five wickets in the T20 International.

Abinash Bohara and Sompal Kami took two wickets each while skipper Sandeep Lamichhane claimed one wicket.

Sent into bat first after losing the toss, Nepal scored 203 runs in allotted 20 overs losing six wickets.

Dipendra Singh Airee scored highest 66 runs off 33 balls hitting for sixes and three fours.

Similarly, Rohit Paudel made 41 runs of 23 balls with two sixes and four boundaries.

Opener Asif Sheikh made 38 runs off 29 balls hitting one six and four boundaries. Kushal Bhurtel scored 17 runs off 20 balls and Mohammad Adil Ahamad contributed 31 runs of 11 balls.