KATHMANDU, September 14: Nepal U-19 registered their third win in as many matches by seven wickets against Singapore U-19 on their route to reach semi-finals finishing on top of the Group A. Nepal defeated Thailand by 255 runs in the first group match and defeated Bhutan by nine wickets in the second match. They will face the runners up of the Group B in semi-finals on Saturday.
Singapore’s Avi Dixit picked up two wickets but could not prevent Nepal from completing the lowly target of 68 runs in 13.4 overs. Anil Kumar Sah played some delightful shots in his cameo of 18 runs from 15 deliveries. Opener Sandeep Sunar scored 20 runs at the top of the innings before falling to Ansh Bhargava. Sumit Maharjan (10) and Sandeep Jora (7) shared an unbeaten partnership of 17 runs to guide Nepal home.
Earlier, Singapore won the match and elected to bat first. Nepal’s opening pace bowler Kishore Mahato removed both Singapore opening batsmen in quick succession to kick-start another difficult day for opposition against Nepali spinners. Off spinner Pawan Sarraf picked up six wickets in the match supported by Sandeep Lamichhane and skipper Dipendra Singh Airee’s one wicket each to bundle out Singapore for 67 runs in 29th over. Singapore skipper Aryaman Sunil Uchil and Siddhant accumulated 20 runs each to add to the total. Uchil scored two sixes too in a rare moment of batting brilliance. Nepal bowlers were dominant throughout dismissing four Singapore batsmen on a duck. Opener Rohan Rangarajan (11) was only other Singapore batsman registering double figure score.
Pawan Sarraf was adjudged man of the match for his career best bowling figures in Nepal colors. He decimated the Singapore batting picking up six wickets conceding 12 runs in his spell of eight overs which included four maidens.
Nepal will play the semi-final match against Group B’s Hong Kong or Malaysia on 16 September, Saturday.
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