ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup: Nepal wide loss with India, trip in the group stage ended

KATHMANDU: In the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup, Nepal lost to India A by a wide margin.

Nepal lost by 9 wickets in the second match in Sri Lanka. With one wicket lost, India just managed to reach Nepal’s modest goal of 168 runs.

India has advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Nepal by 9 wickets at R Premadasa Stadium in Sri Lanka.

India A scored 168 runs in 22.1 overs, losing one wicket.

Avishek Sharma and Sai Sudharsan both hit half-centuries in India’s triumph.

Abhishek Sharma scored 87 runs off 69 balls for India A, including 12 fours and two sixes. Sai Sudharsan hit an undefeated 58-run half-century off 52 balls, including 8 fours and 1 six.

Dhruv Jurel hit 21 unbeaten runs in 12 balls, including one four and two sixes.

Nepal decided to bat first after winning the toss at Sri Lanka’s R Premadasa Stadium and were bowled out for 167 runs in 37.2 overs. Captain Rohit Paudel scored 65 runs off 85 balls, including seven fours. No other hitter has ever batted for a half-century.

Gulshan Jha was caught for 38 off 30 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes. Rohit and Gulshan Jha shared a respectable total of 54 runs off 56 balls for the seventh wicket for Nepal, which had a miserable start.

Nepal’s top order batting became helpless against India’s fast bowlers. Harshit Rana, who has played in the IPL for Kolkata Knight Riders, bowled opener Kushal Bhurtel in the second ball.

Chennai Super Kings young star Rajvardhan Hangargekar bowled Asif caught out by wicketkeeper Dhrub Jurel for 7 runs. Dev Khanal also returned to the pavilion scoring 15 runs.

Kushal Malla was dismissed for a wicket when Bhim Saraki was bowled for 4 runs. At one time Nepal had lost 5 wickets in 10 overs and added 37 in total.

Rohit Poudel and Sompal Kami shared 53 runs for Nepal’s sixth wicket. Sompal was caught lbw for 14 runs and Pawan Saraf was dismissed for 6 runs.

Indian spinner Nishant Sindhu took 4 wickets for 14 runs in 3.2 overs. Nepal could not play the entire over when Rajvardhan took 3 wickets with 25 runs in 6 overs with 1 maiden.

Harshit Rana took 2 wickets for 16 runs with 1 maiden in 5 overs. Nepal will play the last match against UAE A on Thursday. UAE has also been eliminated from the group stage after being defeated along with India and Pakistan.

India and Pakistan have entered the previous stage from this group. These two teams will meet in the final match of the group. From Group B, India is leading the run rate while Pakistan is at the second position.