KATHMANDU: Nepal’s U19 cricket team registered a nail-biting 1-wicket victory over Afghanistan in their final match of the ongoing U19 Asia Cup, in Sharjah in UAE.
After electing to bat first, Afghanistan were restricted to a modest total of 124 runs, thanks to a disciplined bowling effort by the Nepali bowlers. Younis Thakuri and Santosh Yadav each took three wickets each, while captain Hemant Dhami and Abhishek Tiwari contributed two wickets apiece.
In response, Nepal overcame early setbacks and chased down the target in 41.3 overs with one wicket to spare, securing a memorable win.
Nepal, however, faced a shaky start and found themselves struggling at 84 for 8. However, captain Hemant Dhami (22 not out) and Naren Saud (26) staged a heroic recovery, putting together a crucial 31-run partnership for the ninth wicket to bring Nepal within reach of victory.
While Dhami stayed unbeaten to guide his team to a win in 41.3 overs, other notable contributions came from Arjun Kumal (21), Abhishek Tiwari (13), and Akash Tripathi (9).
Afghanistan’s Allah Ghazanfar and Khatir Stanikzai were the standout bowlers for their side, taking three wickets each.
Despite the win Nepal will not qualify for the knockout stage as they lost their first two games against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
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