Nepal, which has lost its first two matches, must beat Pakistan U-23 by a huge margin on Wednesday to stay alive in the competition. Afghanistan, which defeated Nepal by three runs on Saturday, will lock horns with India U-23 on Thursday.
Winning the toss, Nepal invited India U-23 to bat first on Tuesday. The Indian team, studded with 10 Indian Premier League players, made 268/5 as their openers put up a 118-run partnership. In reply, Nepal was restricted to 184/8. [break]
Indian opener Unmukt Chand scored 61 runs off 77 balls before Shakti Gauchan claimed his wicket in the 28th over. Another opener Lokesh Rahul garnered 88 runs off 123 balls. India U-23 skipper Suryakumar Yadav blasted 65 runs off 39 balls while Ankit Bawne chipped in with 25 runs off 36 balls. The blistering innings by Yadav helped India score 90 runs in the last 10 overs.
Basanta Regmi claimed three Indian wickets but became the most expensive Nepali bowler so far. Regmi gave away 90 runs in 10 overs. Shakti Gauchan had given away 81 runs in nine overs against the USA during the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 held in Bermuda earlier this year.
Regmi claimed the wickets of Rahul and Manprit Juneja (nine runs) in the third and fifth balls of the 37th over to provide Nepali fans with something to cheer about. He later bowled Yadav in the penultimate over of the innings. Young pacer Avinash Karn claimed the wicket of Bawne.
Nepal made a slow start to its run chase and the team´s total was only 49 runs when opener Anil Mandal departed in the 18th over scoring 19 runs off 49 balls. Opener Subash Khakurel was dismissed on the first ball of the 19th over. Gyanendra Malla added 18 runs off 38 balls while skipper Paras Khadka scored 12 runs off 27 balls.
Binod Bhandari (one run), Sharad Vesawkar (two runs) and Prithu Baskota (eight runs) were dismissed cheaply, leaving Nepal teetering on 99/7 in 33.3 overs.
However, Sagar Pun guided Nepal to a respectable total with an unbeaten 52 runs off 61 balls. Pun and Basanta Regmi (six runs) shared a 30-run partnership for the eighth wicket. Pun then added an unbeaten 55 runs for the ninth wicket with Shakti Gauchan (14 runs off 28 balls).
Bawne claimed three wickets for India while Sandeep Warrier and Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets each. Indian skipper Yadav, who scored a quick-fire 65 runs and claimed a wicket, was adjudged the man-of-the-match.
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