Nepal finally registered a victory at the ICC U19 World Cup with a 39-run win over Namibia in the 13th Place Playoff Semifinal.
It needed two records – the best batting and bowling performances by Nepali players – for the first victory in the tour, where Nepal’s incompetence has frustrated fans.
Pradeep Airee scored 98 not out to rescue Nepal from yet another top-order failure and help post 219 for 7 wickets in 50 overs.
His 98 is best score by any Nepali batsman in Youth ODIs surpassing Kanishka Chaugai’s 90 not out scored against Papua New Guinea in 2004 U19 World Cup.
Nepal was 66/4 when walked in the center and saw the fall of Subash Khakurel (35) soon. From 72/5 in 29th over, it was all Pradeep’s scoring. His 98 came in 76 balls with 3 fours and 3 sixes.
Rajesh Pulami (24) and Hashim Ansari (18) provided him the support needed as Nepal got to a defendable total. For Namibia C Coombe claimed 3 wickets and S Groenewald took 2 wickets.
Namibia too didn’t have a good start losing frequent wickets and was 72/4 in 25th over. Then onward, a good partnership of 71-run between S Baard (57) and Z Groenewald (54) was developed and although it never looked very threatening, they took the team to a position from where a blast could have made a big difference.
But it was man of the match Bhuwan Karki who had the blast with his bowling. On the way to record the best bowling figure by a Nepali by surpassing Lakpa Lama’s 4/14 against Papua New Guinea in 2002, Bhuwan claimed 5-wicket removing the lower five batsmen.
His 5/21 in 7.3 overs bowled out Namibia for 180 in 46.3 overs and a loss of 39 runs. This is the widest margin of victory for Nepal against Namibia to which Nepal had never lost in four meetings. Earlier three results were really tight (by 10 runs in 2002, by 3 runs in 2008 and by 4 runs in 2008).
Nepal will now meet Papua New Guinea who beat Zimbabwe by 12 runs in other 13th-place playoff semifinal, for the 13th place playoff final on August 23, Thursday.