By a Staff Reporter
Kathmandu (HamroKhelkud) – Nepal have qualified for the ACC U-19 Asia Cup 2023. Nepal booked their place in the continental showpiece with a place in the final of the ongoing ACC U-19 Premier Cup in Malaysia.
Nepal defeated Japan by a huge margin of 144 runs in accordance with D/L method to book their place in the final.
Nepal were at a position of 140 runs in 25 overs at the loss of two wickets when rain arrived in the match. Due to a long period of rainfall, Nepal couldn’t bat further in the innings and Japan received a target of 187 runs in 22 overs with D/L method.
Opener Deepak Bohora scored 79 runs in 70 deliveries with ten fours and two sixes. Deepak and Akash Tripathi put together a 93-run stand for the second wicket after opener Arjun Kumal was dismissed for ten runs. Arjun hit one boundary in 23 deliveries. Akash scored 35 runs while skipper Dev Khanal added eight runs before rain played spoilsport.
Chasing a target of 187 runs in 22 overs, Japan wee bundled over for 43 runs in 11.5 overs. Hemant Dhami and Dipesh Kandel took three wickets each for Nepal while Subash Bhandari took 2 wickets and Akash Chand took one.
Nepal and Japan reached the semi-finals as winners of their groups A and D, respectively. Nepal will face UAE in the final on Tuesday. UAE defeated Singapore in the other semi-final today to make it into the final.
The top three teams in the tournament will play the U-19 Asia Cup in December.
