Nepal lose against the South Asian neighbours by 154 runs at Sharjah.
Nepal succumbed to a thumping 154-run defeat against Bangladesh in their opening match of the ACC U-19 Asia Cup at the Sharjah cricket stadium in UAE on Friday.
Prantik Nawrose Nabil cracked an unbeaten century for Bangladesh as they posted a mammoth total of 297-4 in the 50-over game. Chasing the target, Nepal were bowled out for 143 runs in 42.3 overs.
Bangladesh made an average start losing openers Mahfijul Islam for 17 runs and Iftakher Hossain for 21 runs with 2-67 runs on board. But Nabil, who came to bat at number three, lifted the innings with unbeaten 127 runs off 112 deliveries.
He hit 11 fences and a six and shared 179-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Md Fahim and SM Meherob Hasan. Wicketkeeper batsman Fahim who contributed 58 runs off 54 was retired hurt in the 43rd over while Meherob contributed 15-ball 21 runs. He was bowled by Gulsan Jha.
Aich Mollah played a patient 41-ball 22 before that included three boundaries.
Jha, Tilak Bhandari and Mohammad Aadil Alam pocketed one wicket each for Nepal.
In the run chase, Nepal made a shaky start to their innings losing the first three wickets for 23 runs. Nepal lost openers Arjun Kumal for five and Dev Khanal, also captain, for 12 runs as they were both bowled out by Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Kumal was dismissed in the second over and Khanal in the eighth.
Lower middle order’s Gulsan Jha contributed the highest 35 runs for Nepal while number four batter Bibek Magar contributed 33 runs before both of them were run out. The part time batter Jha cracked four fences and a six in his 28-ball knock. Magar hit four fences facing 60 deliveries before being run out.
Bibek Yadav was the other remarkable contributor scoring 26 off 34. Durgesh Gupta and Tilak Bhandari were out for a duck each.
Bangladesh bowlers Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rakibul Hasan, Meherob and Naimur Rohman pocketed two wickets each.
Nepal will play against Sri Lanka in their next match on Sunday and Kuwait in their last match of Group ‘B’. The top two finishers of each of the two groups will progress into the semi-finals.