KATHMANDU, April 18: In a high-stakes match of the ICC U-19 World Cup Asia Qualifier, Nepal will face Afghanistan this Saturday on home soil. With both teams undefeated in their first three games—beating UAE, Hong Kong, and Oman-the winner will secure a spot in the 2026 ICC U-19 World Cup, set to be held in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
The Nepali team is vying to qualify for the World Cup for the second consecutive time. In the previous edition, Nepal edged past Afghanistan in the decisive game, knocking the Test-playing nation out of contention. This time, Afghanistan will aim to reverse that result and seal its own ticket to the tournament.
Nepal faces defeat with UAE
Of the 19 encounters between the two sides, Nepal has won just seven. Afghanistan also claimed a 2-1 victory in a three-match series at Mulpani before the current qualifiers began.
Despite that, Nepal enters the match with strong momentum, home advantage, and high morale. “Afghanistan is a tough side, but our players have what it takes to beat them,” said head coach Shakti Gauchan.
However, the weather could play a spoiling role. Kathmandu has seen almost daily rain, and if Saturday’s game is washed out or doesn't reach the point where the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method can be applied, the match will end in a draw. In that case, Afghanistan will qualify based on a superior net run rate.
For Nepal to qualify, the match must be completed and they must win it.
