Kathmandu: Nepal faced a crushing defeat against India, and exited from the ACC U-19 Asia Cup on Tuesday.
Winning the toss, India opted to field, putting Nepal in to bat first. However, the Nepali team struggled to make an impact and was bundled out for a meager 52 runs in just 22.1 overs. This dismal performance marked Nepal’s lowest total in U-19 cricket, with none of the batters reaching double digits.
Opener Arjun Kumal and Dipak Bohara were the top scorers for Nepal, managing seven runs each.
In response, India’s Adarsh Singh and Arshin Kulkarni displayed dominance, forming an unbeaten opening partnership that effortlessly chased down the target with 257 balls to spare. Kulkarni’s impressive innings included five sixes and a four, amassing an unbeaten score of 43, while Singh contributed 13 runs without losing his wicket.
The bowling prowess of India’s Raj Limbani played a pivotal role in Nepal’s downfall, as the right-arm medium pacer claimed seven wickets for just 13 runs in 9.1 overs. Aaradhya Shukla and Arshin Kulkarni also contributed with two and one wickets, respectively.
With this defeat, Nepal concluded their ACC U-19 Asia Cup campaign without a single victory, finishing at the bottom of Group A with no points. The ACC U-19 Asia Cup serves as a crucial preparation ground for the upcoming 2024 U-19 World Cup, scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka from January 13 to February 4 next year.
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