With a six-wicket win over Nepal, India notched up their second successive victory in the Asian Cricket Council’s Under-19 Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. Half-centurions - Himanshu Rana (51) and Shubman Gill (57) - chased down the total after Rahul Chahar (5/27) and Co. restricted Nepal to 172 for nine in the Group A match.
Chahar left Nepal reeling at 38 for four after ending the opening partnership for 36 after Nepal elected to bat. He trapped Sandeep Sunar lbw and castled Adil Shah for naught later in the same over. In his next over, the leg-spinner accounted for opener Aasif Sheikh for 18 and followed up with the wicket of Bhim Sharaki to push the opposition on the back foot.
While Dipendra Airee looked to revive the innings, Ayush Jamwal and Himanshu Rana picked wickets at the other end to leave Nepal wobbling on 86 for six. With Rohit Paudel, the middle-order bat took the team past the three-figure mark until he was bowled by Yash Thakur for 34.
However, Paudel played a determined knock to keep the innings afloat. While the Indian attack worked to keep the lineup on a tight leash, the batsman stoically saw them through to their full quota with the lower-order. Although the No 11 bat wasn’t able to open his account, he remained unbeaten at the other end while Paudel was not out on 68 off 93 balls.
Although India lost Prithvi Shaw with just five runs on the board, Rana and Gill built an 86-run partnership to put the chase on course. Pawan Sarraf, who claimed Rana to end the partnership also accounted for two more even as India attained the target with ease. 18 runs later, he claimed Gill for Abhishek Sharma for two to reduce India on 109 for three. Gill, who carried the innings forward with Priyam Garg, was the next to depart for 57. With the team on 131 for four, Salman Khan joined Garg in the middle and the pair took the team across the line in an unbroken 43-run stand.
