KATHMANDU: In a gripping encounter in Malaysia, Nepal has set a commanding target of 354 runs for Iran in the ongoing ACC U-19 Premier Cup Cricket tournament.
Having conceded the toss, Nepal was summoned to take the batting crease and ultimately wrapped up their innings with a total of 353 runs after 40 overs.
Dev Khanal, the standout performer for Nepal, notched up an exceptional century with an impressive 100 runs to his name.
Additionally, Deepak Prasad Dumre contributed 69 runs, while Deepak Bohra marked a vital half-century with 65 runs.
Other significant contributions came from Dipesh Kandel (29 runs), Hemant Dhami (23 runs), Akash Chand (19 runs), and Subhas Bhandari (18 runs).
Iran’s bowlers made their presence felt with Dadrahman Raisi and Salman Niazmand each claiming three wickets, while Zeid Saisi and Saman Shekhi secured two wickets apiece.
The ACC U-19 Premier Cup features 16 associate teams from Asia, divided into four groups. Nepal finds itself in Group A, alongside Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.
Nepal’s upcoming matches in the group stage include a clash against Bahrain on October 15 and a face-off with Saudi Arabia on October 19.
In other groups, Group B features UAE, Oman, Qatar, and China, while Group C comprises Singapore, Kuwait, Thailand, and the Maldives. Group D includes Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, and Indonesia.
The top three teams from the tournament will earn the coveted opportunity to participate in the U-19 Asia Cup in Pakistan scheduled for the following December.
This competition serves as valuable preparation leading up to the World Cup, with the World Cup 2024 set to take place in Sri Lanka.
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