KATHMANDU, March 29: Nepal U-19 national cricket team won the extended 50-over match of the current practice tour of India by five wickets against Andhra Pradesh U-19 state cricket team at Andhra Pradesh Cricket Association Ground in India on Thursday.
Nepal chased the target of 221 runs in 48.1 overs after the tour was expanded to fifth match from originally planned four-match tour. Former skipper Aasif Sheikh marked his return in form after scoring 65 runs from 97 deliveries including four boundaries and a six to complete the chase of 221 runs in 48.2 overs.
Airee, Paudel help Nepal edge past Andhra Pradesh
Nepal won fourth out of five practice matches played against Andhra Pradesh team. Aasif was supported by skipper Rohit Kumar Paudel’s 45, Bhim Sarki’s unbeaten 45, and Ravi Kumar Sah’s 37 runs from 51, 33 and 74 deliveries respectively. Sarki smashed three fours and two sixes during his quick-fire innings which eventually sealed the win. Andhra’s MK Datta Reddy, B Santosh, I Ismail, SMD Kamil and Nitesh Kumar shared a wicket each.
Earlier, Nepal left-arm spinner Surya Tamang and off-spinning all rounder Pawan Sarraf shared two wickets each supported by Sarki, left-arm pacer Pratish GC and Kamal Singh Airee’s one wicket each to limit Andhra to 220 runs for the loss of nine wickets at the end of 50 overs. Andhra’s M Ravi Kiran top scored for the home team scoring 45 runs from 87 deliveries including four boundaries.
Likewise, P Subramanyam was second highest scorer of the innings with 38 runs. However, the key moment of the innings came when B Dharani Kumar was dismissed run-out by Sarki for 37 runs from 39 deliveries. Dharani was looking to take away the match from Nepal’s grasp within his brief stay smashing four boundaries. Opening batsman Nitesh Kumar scored 23 runs from 20 deliveries before getting dismissed by GC.
This is Nepal’s fourth win in five matches against Andhra. Nepal won the first and lost second match of the extended practice tour before winning three back-to-back matches.
