U19 Asia Cup: Nepal defeats Afghanistan by 1 wicket

Sharjah, December 3 — In a dramatic finish, Nepal Under-19s narrowly defeated Afghanistan Under-19s by 1 wicket in the 10th match of the Group B in the U19 Asia Cup at Sharjah.

Afghanistan, batting first, posted a modest total of 123 runs in 35.4 overs.

Nepal's bowlers delivered a strong performance, with Santosh Yadav (3/22), Unish Thakuri (3/24), and Hemant Dhami (2/37) leading the charge.

Afghanistan's top scorer was Faisal Shinozada, who made 52 off 67 balls, but the rest of the team failed to make significant contributions.

In reply, Nepal U19 also found themselves struggling. The chase was not straightforward as they lost wickets at regular intervals.

Ghazanfar (3/17) and Khatir Stanikzai (3/31) took crucial wickets, including key dismissals of Arjun Kumal (21) and Roshan Bishwakarma (9).

However, a patient knock by captain Hemant Dhami (22 not out) and support from Naren Saud (26) helped Nepal edge closer to the target.

Despite a few late setbacks, Nepal reached 124/9 in 41.3 overs, with 51 balls remaining.