KATHMANDU: In the 15th edition of the U19 Cricket World Cup 2024, Nepal is set to bowl first against New Zealand in the tournament’s opening match.
Winning the toss, New Zealand opted to bat first.
This marks Nepal’s eighth appearance in the U19 Cricket World Cup, with the young Nepali team aiming to maintain its unbeaten record against New Zealand.
Nepal clinched a victory by one wicket in the Plate Final of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in Colombo in 2006 and secured a 32-run win against the same team in a group stage game during the 2016 edition.
Nepal is placed in Group D alongside Pakistan, Afghanistan, and New Zealand. Following today’s clash, Nepal is scheduled to play against Pakistan on Wednesday and Afghanistan on Friday.
Here are the key players to keep an eye on in today’s match:
Nepal:
Dev Khanal (c): Leading the team, Khanal’s experience at the senior level adds depth to the squad.
Arjun Kumal: Impressive performances in warm-up matches and the ACC U19 Asia Cup make him a player to watch.
Durgesh Gupta: A left-arm seamer with a promising record in junior domestic cricket.
Nepal Squad: Dev Khanal (c), Arjun Kumal, Aakash Tripathi, Dipak Prasad Dumre, Durgesh Gupta, Gulshan Kumar Jha, Dipesh Prasad Kandel, Bishal Bikram KC, Subhash Bhandari, Deepak Bohara, Dipak Bohara, Uttam Rangu Thapa Macar, Bipin Rawal, Tilak Raj Bhandari, Akash Chand.
New Zealand:
Oscar Jackson (c): Leading the Kiwi side, Jackson brings leadership and experience to the team.
Zac Cumming: An instrumental player with both bat and ball, continuing the cricket legacy of his father, Craig Cumming.
Tom Jones: Grandson of New Zealand great Jeremy Coney, Jones top-scored in the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier.
New Zealand Squad: Oscar Jackson (c), Mason Clarke, Sam Clode, Zac Cumming, Rahman Hekmat, Tom Jones, James Nelson, Snehith Reddy, Matt Rowe, Ewald Schreuder, Lachlan Stackpole, Oliver Tewatiya, Alex Thompson, Ryan Tsourgas, Luke Watson.
Reserves: Ben Breitmeyer, Nick Brown, Henry Christie, Robbie Foulkes, Josh Oliver, Amogh Paranjpe.
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