Nepal rout Maldives to secure bronze in IHF Nations Trophy

Nepal clinched the bronze medal in the Begum Khaleda Zia IHF Nations Trophy with a commanding 27-15 win over the Maldives in the third-place playoff at Shaheed Captain M Mansur Ali Stadium in Paltan on Wednesday.

The Maldives stayed in contention during the opening 20 minutes but failed to sustain their challenge as Nepal took control to secure a 12-goal victory and finish third in the four-team tournament. Uma Rai spearheaded Nepal's attack with six goals, earning the Player of the Match award for her decisive contribution.

The result extended Nepal's dominance over the Maldives, having also beaten them 24-18 in the group stage. However, defeats to Bangladesh and India had denied Nepal a place in the final, forcing them to settle for the bronze-medal contest.