Nepal has been eliminated from the ongoing U-19 Asia Cup in the UAE after suffering a second consecutive defeat, this time against Bangladesh by 5 wickets on Sunday.
Bangladesh chased down Nepal’s target of 142 runs in 28.4 overs, losing 5 wickets. Opener Zawad Abrar scored the highest with 59 runs off 65 balls, hitting 5 fours and 4 sixes. Another opener, Kalim Allen, was dismissed without scoring by Nepal’s captain Hemant Dhami.
Captain Mohammad Hakim Tamim contributed 52 runs off 71 balls, including 2 fours and 3 sixes, while Mohammad Farid added 13 runs. For Nepal, Yuvraj Khatri claimed 4 wickets, and Hemant Dhami took 1.
Earlier, Nepal was bowled out for 141 runs in 45.4 overs after opting to bat first. Opener Aakash Tripathi top-scored with 43 runs off 77 balls, while Uttam Thapa and Abhishek Tiwari each scored 29. The rest of the Nepali batters failed to reach double digits.
For Bangladesh, Mohammad Al Fahad, Mohammad Iqbal, and Mohammad Hossain each took 2 wickets.
This marks Nepal’s second loss in the tournament, following a defeat to Sri Lanka in the opening game. In contrast, Bangladesh has secured two consecutive victories, having beaten Afghanistan in their first match.
Nepal will play its third and final group-stage match against Afghanistan on December 3, a 50-over game.
The U-19 Asia Cup, organized by the ACC, features eight teams. Five test-playing nations automatically qualified, while Nepal, UAE, and Japan secured their spots by finishing in the top three of the ACC Premier Cup held in Malaysia last year. Nepal emerged as the champions of that tournament by defeating UAE.
The participating teams are divided into two groups. Group B includes Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, while Group A features India, Pakistan, Japan, and UAE. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals, with the final scheduled for December 8.
Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has appointed former national cricketer Shakti Gauchan as the head coach and Dhirendra Chand as the assistant coach for the tournament.
