Nepal has successfully advanced to the Super Six stage of the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup 2024 by securing a spot in the top three of Group D. The thrilling journey continued with a nail-biting victory over Afghanistan in the final group game, where Nepal emerged triumphant by defeating Afghanistan by one wicket.
In the crucial match, Nepal managed to chase down the target of 146 runs set by Afghanistan in 44.4 overs. Captain Dev Khanal played a pivotal role in this hard-fought win, showcasing exceptional leadership and contributing significantly with the bat by scoring 58 runs before being dismissed. His innings included an inmpressive 7 boundaries.
Despite a shaky start with the early dismissals of openers Arjun Kumal (10 runs), Bipin Rawal (2 runs), and Gulshan Jha (1 run), Captain Dev Khanal’s composed innings provided stability to the team. Aakash Tripathi, who scored 16 runs stabilized the innings in the middle but fell victim to the Afghan captain Naseer Khan, adding pressure on Nepal.
However, the resilient efforts of Captain Dev Khanal, who hit 7 fours in his 89-ball innings, Aakash Tripathi’s 16 from 39 balls and Dipak Bohara’s 27 from 42 balls got Nepal close to the target before Subash Bhandari scored a boundary to win the match for Nepal.
Earlier in the match, Afghanistan, after winning the toss, set a target of 146 runs for Nepal. In the bowling department, Aakash Chand emerged as the hero, claiming five crucial wickets in his 8-over spell. He dismissed key Afghan batsmen, including Khalid Taniwal, Jamshid Zadran, Sohail Khan, and Ali Ahmad and Hassan Eisakhil, maintaining control over the game. With this, Akash became the fourth bowler for Nepal to take five wickets in the U-19 World Cup. Earlier, Rahul Biswakarma for Nepal took 6 wickets against Papua New Guinea in 2012 giving away only 3 runs. This is the best bowling for Nepal in the U-19 World Cup. Bhuvan Karki gave away 21 runs for 5 wickets against Namibia in 2012. Similarly, in 2016, Sandeep Lamichhane took 5 wickets against Ireland for 27 runs.
Gulshan Jha also made a significant impact with the ball, taking the crucial wicket of Numan Shah in the first over. The early breakthroughs provided Nepal with the advantage, and Aakash Chand’s subsequent wickets ensured the team’s success.
This remarkable victory means Nepal will now compete in the Super Six stage, facing challenging opponents like India and Bangladesh in Group A. The team aims to build on this success and make a strong statement in the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup 2024. Nepal will face Bangladesh on January 31 and India on February 2.
Discussion about this post