Nepal Faces Defeat Against India in U-19 Cricket World Cup

In a challenging encounter at the Mangaung Oval Cricket Ground in South Africa, Nepal succumbed to a 132-run loss against India in the Under-19 World Cup Super-Six match held on Friday.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, India set a formidable target of 298 runs for Nepal, losing five wickets in their allotted 50 overs. In response, Nepal struggled to reach the mark, finishing at 165 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their 50 overs.

Captain Dev Khanal led the Nepali side with a score of 33 runs off 53 balls, including two boundaries, while Durgesh Gupta remained unbeaten with 29 runs. Openers Arjun Kumal and Deepak Bohora contributed 26 and 22 runs respectively, and Akash Chand added 18.

India’s victory was highlighted by the bowling performances of Saumya Pandey, who took four wickets, and Arshin Kulkarni, who claimed two wickets. Raj Limbani, Aradhya Shukla, and Murugan Abhishek each secured one wicket.

In the first inning, Sachin Das emerged as India’s top scorer, contributing an impressive 116 runs in just 101 balls, featuring 11 fours and three sixes. Captain Uday Saharan also played a crucial role, scoring 100 runs off 97 balls, with nine boundaries.

Other notable contributions in India’s inning included 21 runs by Adarsh Sinha, 19 by Priyanshu Moliya, and 18 by Arshin Kulkarni. Musahar Khan chipped in with 9 runs.

For Nepal, Gulshan Jha stood out as the top performer with three wickets, while Aakash Chand secured one wicket in a challenging contest against a strong Indian side.