The Nepalese U19 team suffered the second consecutive defeat in the U19 World Cup 2024. Pakistan registered a five-wicket victory over Nepal at Buffalo Park, East London on Wednesday.
Nepal must win their final group-stage match against Afghanistan to secure a spot in the Super Six stage. The winner of the Nepal vs. Afghanistan match will advance. Meanwhile, New Zealand and Pakistan have already secured their places and are set to face each other in their remaining match.
Following a target of 198, Pakistan chased the total in 47.4 overs losing five wickets. The openers yielded a superb start, adding 80 runs. However, Aakash Chand dismissed both openers for 37 in the same over to bring back Nepal in the contest. Nepal were all over Pakistan when Chand took another followed by Aakash Tripathi dismissing Pakistani skipper Saad Baig for a duck. They were 104/4 after 28 overs.
Ahmad Hassan and Azan Awais then shared a match-winning 64-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Hassan scored 29 runs whereas Awais stayed till the end and wrapped up the win with a boundary. He scored an unbeaten 63 runs whilst Haroon Arshad also added 15* runs.
For Nepal, Aakash Chand was a pick of a bowler. He grabbed three wickets (9-0-34-3). Aakash Tripathi and Dipesh Kandel grabbed one wicket each. Gulshan Jha (10-1-29-0) bowled really well but went wicket less.
Earlier in the first inning, the Nepalese U19 team were restricted to 197 runs against. Opting to bat first at Buffalo Park, East London, Nepal finished their 50 overs at 197/10.
Nepal lost Arjun Kumal for six runs in the fifth over as their first wicket. No pair could really add a big partnership as Nepal missed out on a big total. Bipin Rawal and Dev Khanal were doing good for the third wicket until Dev gave away his wicket for 23 runs. Nepal were 80/2 at one stage which turned into 96/5 in no time.
Uttam Magar was dismissed for 4 whereas Bipin’s long knock (39 from 68) came to an end in the 27th over. Gulshan Jha made a sluggish 18 runs (47 balls) whilst Dipesh Kandel ended Nepal’s 99-ball boundary drought before departing for 13 runs. Deepak Dumre got out for 26(58) when it was time to swing big.
Nepal’s tailenders once again added crucial runs for the team. Subash Bhandari scored 20 runs from 24 balls whereas Aakash Chand hammered 11-ball 16 with a boundary and a maximum.
Pakistan’s spinners were terrific and didn’t give any chance to Nepalese batters during the middle overs. Arafat Minhas (10-2-23-3) and Ali Asfand (10-1-15-1) conceded only 38 runs from their 20 overs. Ahmed Hussain and Ubaid Shah also picked up two wickets each.
