Afghanistan vs Nepal, U-19 World Cup 2024 Highlights: Nepal Reach Super Six With Gritty One-Wicket Win

Right then Nepal Under-19 seals a spot in the Super Six by defeating Afghanistan Under-19 by 1 wicket. The next game of the Under-19 World Cup will be played between Zimbabwe Under-19 and Namibia Under-19 on 27th January. The game will be live from 1.30 pm IST (8 am GMT) but you can join us an hour early for the build-up. Till then cheers!

The winning captain of  Nepal Under-19 Dev Khanal is up for a chat. He says he is out of words and this has been something they have been dreaming of for almost 8 years and is special. He adds that the way Nepal Cricket has played recently including the Asia Cup, World Cup Qualifier as a senior team and this World Cup along with the upcoming World Cup is very proud of the character shown by the boys. He says a lot is going back into this from the cricket association and the players and it's a proud feeling. He then adds that he wanted to finish the game for his side and had confidence that the lower order could finish things and appreciates the calmness they had at the end. He then appreciates Aakash Chand and says he has been delivering consistently and has worked very hard on his fitness and bowling and deserves this recognition.

The losing skipper of Afghanistan Under-19 Naseer Khan Maroofkhil is up for a quick chat and says that he is upset that they couldn't make it to Super Six. Adds that while batting his plan was to play till the 45th over and then explode after that targeting near about 180 but they failed to reach that and that turned out to be the difference at the end. Mentions that the bowler did bowl well but they gifted loose deliveries in the middle and that took the pressure away from the opponents.

Aakash Chand is the player of the match for his five-fer and key role at the end. He says the last moments were nervous and he was praying to God and had his eyes shut. Adds that they had qualified in 2016 and after that, they have qualified this time around and nothing better could have been scripted. Informs that the ball was swinging and he tried to keep it simple making full use of the swing on offer. He concludes by saying that the plan was to bowl in tight areas and not concede runs which ultimately got him his wickets.

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Earlier in the day, after opting to bat first the Afghanistan Under-19 managed to put 145 on board. The side was in all sorts of trouble after being 88 for 8 around the 21st over but a gritty performance from skipper Naseer Khan Maroofkhil and Faridoon Dawoodzai for the 9th wicket helped the side put up a fighting total. For Nepal Under-19, Aakash Chand was outstanding as he took a fifer and broke the backbone of the Afghan batting unit. Dipesh Kandel took a couple while others took a wicket each.

The bowlers had a brilliant start as they took 3 wickets in a jiffy and put life into the game that looked dead and buried at one stage. An injury early on to Faridoon Dawoodzai dealt a big blow to the side as they lost a key bowler who started well for a good chunk of the game. The side though knew a couple of partnerships in the mid-30s would take the game away from them yet fought hard right till the end. Faridoon Dawoodzai despite his injury bowled excellently and scalped 3 while Naseer Khan Maroofkhil and Khalil Ahmed got a couple each. Others chipped in with wickets as well and made a game out of it.

Chasing down a low total, the chase started a bit sluggishly for Nepal Under-19 as they lost 3 inside 9 overs and managed just 24 on board by then. Dev Khanal and Aakash Tripathic steadied the chase and put up a partnership of 49 for the 4th wicket. The side again lost its way in the middle as they lost 3 in a flurry but a solid 7th wicket partnership of 36 runs between skipper Dev Khanal and Dipak Bohara calmned the nerves of the dugout for a while. Afghanistan Under-19 again came back into the game with 3 wickets in quick succession and it all came down to the last wicket partnership of 5 runs that saw the side home. It was the skipper Dev Khanal who remained the top scorer for the side as he scored 58 runs. There were key contributions from Dipak Bohara, Aakash Tripathi and Subash Bhandari as well.

Too close yet too far for Afghanistan Under-19 as they loose another thriller. A splendid spell from Aakash Chand followed by a great knock by skipper Dev Khanal helps them win a low-scoring encounter. Nepal Under-19 defeat Afghanistan Under-19 by 1 wicket and advances to the Super Six stage.

FOUR! That's it! Nepal Under-19 have done it! They have beaten another Test-playing nation and moves to the super-six of the tournament. Subash Bhandari does it and how! Arab Gul pitches this just short and outside off giving width on offer, Subash Bhandari hangs back and cuts it late and wide of slip to get the ball racing away to the boundary to finish things off.

Fuller on off, Subash Bhandari blocks it well.

Almost chopped that on! Gul pitches this on length around off getting the ball to spin in a bit, Subash Bhandari tries to block it but gets an inside edge falling just ahead of the stumps.

Bowls this fuller and outside off, Subash Bhandari tucks it to gully.

WIDE! Can you belive it? Arab Gul has dropped it short and down the leg stump line. Nepal Under-19 just need one run to win now.

Tilak Bhandari is the last man to walk out for Nepal Under-19. Fancy a super over here? Afghanistan Under-19 have gone all-out attack and have swarmed Subash Bhandari.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Afghanistan Under-19 just doesn't know how to give up. On a length bang on off, Aakash Chand looks for the late cut down to third but gets beaten as the ball sneaks through the batter and crashes into the stumps. Afghanistan Under-19 now needs 1 wicket while Nepal Under-19 needs 2 to win. What a thriller this has turned out to be.

Back of a length outside off, Subash Bhandari taps it to deep third for a single.

Wide yorker again on off, Subash Bhandari edges this wide of the diving keeper to his left and collects a couple. The margin narrows as they now need just 3 to win.

On a length outside off, Aakash Chand opens the bat face and runs this down to third for a single.

Inswinging wide yorker, Aakash Chand looks to block but gets beaten.