KATHMANDU, Sept 13: Nepal U-19 suffered a 40-run defeat against India U-19 ‘B’ in the first one-dayer played at the Ekana International Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, in the ongoing Quadrangular U-19 One-Day Series on Wednesday. Nepali batting failed to chase a paltry total after the host team was bundled out for 161 runs when the Nepali bowlers presented a solid performance including Kamal Singh Airee’s three-wicket haul. 

Nepal innings could last only 41.3 overs as the batting unit failed in their pursuit to start the tournament with a winning note. Middle-order batsman Bhim Sharki scored highest 30 runs for Nepal during his 57-ball stay including four boundaries. Nepal kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Bowler Airee scored brisk 22 runs in 27 deliveries including two sixes to give some respect to the Nepal total. Skipper Aasif Sheikh, batting in middle order away from his usual opening position, added 17 runs to the Nepal total from 40 deliveries including three boundaries. Pawan Sarraf was the only other batsman scoring in double digits, with 12 runs from 35 deliveries. 

India U-19 ‘B’ conceded 11 extra runs in the 41.3 overs they bowled. Shubhang Hegde and Pankaj Yadav shared three wickets each for India helped by Sahil Raj’s two wickets. AM Singh and Sabir Khan picked up a wicket each.

Earlier, Nepal U-19 won the toss and invited India U-19 ‘B’ to bat first. Nepal’s U-16 captain Rit Gautam, fast bowler Rashid Khan, wicket-keepers Lokesh Bam, and Arun Airee were on the bench for the first game.

Nepal bowlers started brightly and kept the momentum and intensity going throughout the inning as they kept the Indian batsmen on check. The man-of-the-match and opening batsman Qamran Iqbal scored the only half-century in the match dominated by bowlers before losing his stumps to off-spinner Pawan Sarraf. The next best score of the innings came from Rishabh Chouhan who scored 19 runs in 23 deliveries including a four and a six. 

Kamal Airee was pick of the bowlers for Nepal registering a three-wicket-haul conceding 31 runs from his full quota of 10 overs. Sarraf, the lanky off-spinner, picked up two crucial wickets of opener Iqbal and captain Vedant Murkar who scored 12 runs during his 35-ball stay. The debutant left-arm spin duo of Samsaad Sheikh and Sagar Dhakal picked up a wicket each conceding a combined aggregate of 53 runs from their 19 overs and registering five maiden overs. Pace bowler Kishore Mahato was another wicket-taker of the day for Nepal.

In the other match of the day, India U-19 ‘A’ defeated Afghanistan U-19 by 140 runs to go on top of the league table followed by fellow home team India ‘B’. Nepal U-19 will play its second match of the league against India U-19 ‘A’ on Thursday.

BRIEF SCORES
Quadrangular U19 One Day Series  
Ekana International Cricket Stadium B, Lucknow
India U19 B 161 (49 Ov)
Iqbal 50, KS Airee 31/3, Sarraf 31/2
Nepal U19 (Toss) 121 (41.3 Ov)
Sharki 30, Hegde 29/3, Yadav 29/3
Player of the Match:Qamran Iqbal

 
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