Aakash Chand's stunning five-wicket haul restricts Afghanistan to 145 runs

KATHMANDU: In a thrilling encounter at East London, South Africa, Aakash Chand's exceptional performance with the ball led Nepal to a resounding success, restricting Afghanistan to a modest 145 runs in a pivotal match of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup.

Opting to bat, Afghanistan faced a relentless Nepalese bowling attack and succumbed to 145 all out in 40.1 overs.

Aakash Chand emerged as the hero, claiming five crucial wickets, while Dipesh Kandel contributed with two wickets. Gulshan Jha, Tilak Bhandari, and Subas Bhandari also chipped in with one wicket each.

The highest scorer for Afghanistan was Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, notching up 37 runs, followed by captain Naseer Khan Maroofkhil with 31 runs.

Despite their efforts, the Afghan batting lineup struggled, with Jamshid Zadran scoring three, Hassan Eisakhil contributing 20, and Sohail Khan managing four runs.

Three other batsmen were dismissed without adding to the scoreboard.

This high-stakes clash will determine Group D's third entrant to the Super Six, making it a crucial fixture for both teams.

While Nepal showcased resilience in their previous matches, Afghanistan came close to causing an upset in their last encounter.