Nepal avenges Namibia

Nepal has taken a sweet revenge against Namibia with 8 runs victory in the ICC U-19 World Cup Qualifiers on Friday. Nepal had lost a practice match against Namibia by 17 runs ahead of the tournament.

In the match played at Drummond Cricket Club, Northern Ireland, Nepal won the toss and scored 217 runs losing all wickets in 49.4 overs. Nepal restricted Namibia in 209 runs for nine wickets in 50 overs. This is the second best score of Nepal in the ongoing tournament. Nepal had earlier
scored 250 runs against Vanuatu.

Nepal had a good 79 runs opening partnership between Sagar Pun and Subash Khakurel. Khakurel had missed the first three matches due to hamstring injury. He scored 33 runs off 63 balls with four boundaries. Khakurel was the first Nepali batsman to bow out. Another opener Pun was out immediately in the next ball after the fall of Khakurel in the 23rd over. Pun scored 39 runs off 63 balls with five boundaries. Nepal was on 90 for 2 wickets by the end of 23 overs.

Nepal’s middle order did not play well as in the previous matches. Nepal lost two wickets in four balls. Subendu Pandey, who was included in the team instead of regular opener Fajlur Rahman, was out on three runs in the first ball of the 25th over. Nepal suffered another blow as it lost captain Prithu Baskota for duck in the last ball of the 25th over.

Attacking batsman Pradeep Airee and defensive batsman Naresh Budhaayer guided the team to a defendable score. These two batsmen had the partnership of 79 runs in 15.5 overs. Airee was out scoring 33 runs off 50 balls with a huge six. After the fall of Airee in the 41.5th overs, Nepal continued to lose other wickets at regular intervals. Rajesh Pulami (5) was the next batsman to be out in the 44th over.

Rahul BK who came in support for Budhaayer was short to the crease in his personal one run. Budhaayer also gave away his wicket in the 47th over after completing half century. He scored 51 runs off 82 balls with four boundaries. Nepal had scored 205 runs by the end of the 47th over.

Nepal lost its last two wickets for 12 runs. Krishna Karki (8) was the other batsman to be removed from the crease while Bhuwan Karki (9) was the last batsman. Nepal received 34 runs in extras in which 27 runs were from wide.

Christopher Coombe was the most successful bowler for Namibia as he took six wickets in his 9.5 overs conceding 41 runs. Skipper Stephen Baard grabbed two wickets while Pieter Groenewald took one.

Chasing the total of 218, Namibia did not start well. Left-arm fast bowler Avinash Karna took two wickets in the first over. Karna sent Justin Baard (0) in the first ball and Groenewald (0) in the same over. Another pace bowler Krishna Karki sent Baard (4) when Namibia had 11 runs on board.

Spinner Rahul BK caught Gert Lotter (8) in his own ball. Wian Van Vuuren, who was playing well, was short to the crease in a direct hit by Rajesh Pulami. Namibia lost its five wickets in 17 overs with 43 runs on board. MG Erasmus and Coombe had a good partnership to guide the team from 43/5 to 121/6. The partnership of 78 runs nearly guided Namibia toward the win.

Baskota broke the partnership as he trapped Coombe LBW on his personal 44 runs off 73 balls. Erasmus was the highest scorer of the match as he scored 63 runs off 77 balls. Shalako Groenewald scored 44 runs doff 35 balls.

Rahul BK and Bhuwan Karki were punished in the 45th and 46th over by the Namibian batsmen. They both gave away 35 runs in two overs. Shalako Groenewald fell in the 47th over giving Nepal the taste of the victory.

Namibia lost its three wickets for 23 runs. Krishna Karki was the successful bowler for Nepal as he took three wickets. Avinash Karna grabbed two wickets while Rahul BK, Prithu Baskota and Pradeep Airee share a wicket each.