Mumbai desk, June 26: India colts beat Nepal by 81 runs by the D/L method at Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur in the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup match today. After rain interrupted proceedings, Nepal required 173 from 47 overs but India skittled out the opposition for a paltry 91 in 27.3 overs.
Defending a modest total, Sandeep Sharma picked the wicket of Nepal opener Pradeep Airee in his second over to give India an early breakthrough. And in his fifth over, India’s opening bowler claimed Subhash Khakurel. A few overs later, Mohsin Sayyed dealt a double blow and was on a hat-trick with the wickets of Sagar Pun and Prithu Baskota while Vikas Mishra removed Naresh Budayair in the next over to leave Nepal tottering on 20 for the loss of five. With Hasim Ansari given out leg before to Harmeet Singh and Nepal six wickets down for 33 runs, India were in the driver’s seat.
Even as the top order crumbled, R Pulami Magar, batting at No. 5, tried to put up a resistance; he added 20 runs for the seventh wicket with Rahul Vishvakarma before being trapped lbw by Mishra. The left-arm spinner then bowled Vishvakarma and picked Avinash Karn to finish with a four-wicket haul. Bhuvan Karki, who top-scored for Nepal with 24, was the last to return to the dressing room after being caught by Sharma off Harmeet Singh.
Earlier, opting to field first, Nepal restricted India to 176. Done in by the left-arm spin of Vishvakarma and Karki and the off-spin of Sagar and Baskota, the Indian colts were bowled out in 45.2 overs.
After Sanju Samson was trapped lbw by Karn in the third over, Unmukt Chand and Baba Aparajith stitched together a 64-run partnership. Chand missed out on a half-century by three runs, caught by Sagar at backward point off Vishvakarma. Nepal lost an opportunity when Aparajith was dropped in the next over off Sagar by keeper Khakurel. Vijay Zol wasn’t as lucky. The wicketkeeper held on to Zol’s catch in the off-spinner’s next over to give his team an important breakthrough. A few overs later, Baskota claimed Akshdeep Nath while Sagar went on to castle Sandipan Das after. Aparajith was the next to go, bowled by Karki, and it was all downhill for the India youngsters from there on. Karki and Visvakarma took wickets apiece to warp up the Indian innings early.
Brief scores: India U-19s 176 all out in 45.2 overs (B Aparajith 55, U Chand 47, B Karki 3/23, R Visvakarma 3/35, S Pun 2/33) beat Nepal U-19s 91 all out in 27.3 overs (B Karki 24, V Mishra 4/33, S Sharma 2/11, M Sayyed 2/14, Harmeet Singh 2/27) by 81 runs
Man-of-the-Match: Vikas Mishra for his four-wicket haul
