Kathmandu-Nepal continued their dominating performance in the ongoing ICC U-19 World Cup Qualifier in Malaysia defeating USA by 6 wickets with 181 balls to spare. With the win Nepal have 3 wins from 3 matches in the tournament and have qualified for the finals of the event. Ireland who are yet to face Nepal also have 3 wins from as many matches and have reached the finals. Nepal and Ireland will play the league match on 21st October before playing the final on the 22nd October.
Winning the toss and and bowling first, Nepal folded USA for 109 runs thanks to a five wicket haul to Prem Tamang. Nepal then chased the target in 17.4 overs riding on a 46 ball half century by Yogesh Karki. The match had to be reduced to 48 overs after bad weather stooped play for nearly an hour at end of 35th over of first innings.
Earlier, Nepal opened the bowling with Dipesh and Aarif. Nepal bowling although extremely impressive did not pick up the wickets at same rate as previous matches. The first wicket came only 5.5 over as Aarif bowled Mohak Buch Aarif bowled 10 overs in a trot including 4 maidens and picked 2 wickets giving away only 9 runs.
USA never looked like getting big runs but having batted 28 overs losing just 4 wickets with inform Sagar Patel and skipper AW Shoff in the crease it looked as though they would play full quota of 50 overs. Introduction of Prem Tamang in the 29th over as the 6th bowler changed that. He picked up skipper Shoff in his first over. Tohidul Islam(14) them came in and entertained with 3 fours only to be out to Tamang 3 overs later. Prem Tamang then bagged the wickets of Vivek Narayan(0), Sagar Patel(44) and Patnakar(11) to complete his five wickets.
Opener Sagar Patel who top scored with 44 runs from 105 was their only resistance to Nepalese rhinos’s stampede. His fighting innings that lasted 105 balls included 3 fours and 1 six. Patel had also scored a half century against Uganda earlier in the tournament.
Chasing Nepal eased to the target in 17.4 overs. The openers provided a brisk start adding 20 runs in 3 overs. 12 runs came off the first over thanks to 2 boundries to Sankar Rana. Rana made 12 off 8 balls before getting out. Yogendra Karki and Sunil Dhamala then added 39 runs off mere 5 overs for the second wicket to set foundation for strong win. Dipendra Airee(5) and Raju Rijal(6) fell quickly and gave hiccups to Nepalese supporter but Yogendra Karki and Saurab Khanal added 41 runs in only 3.5 overs to take Nepal to victory.
Yogendra scored 53 runs in 46 balls with the help of 11 fours. He finished the match in style scoring four followed by a six in the third and fourth ball of Gauranshu Sharma to take Nepal to victory. Saurab Khanal scored unbeaten 16 runs of 12 balls with two fours and a six.
