ICC U-19 WC : Nepal vs New Zealand Preview
The 15th edition of the ICC U-19 World Cup has started in South Africa from Friday. Nepal is competing in ICC U-19 World Cup after 8 years.
This time, Nepal is playing against Pakistan, Afghanistan and New Zealand in the group stage. All the three opponents of Nepal are aiming to win the title this time.
Nepal will play its first match today against New Zealand. This is the third meeting between Nepal and New Zealand in U-19 World Cup. Nepal had won both the previous matches.
Nepal and New Zealand met for the first time in the 2006 World Cup. In the World Cup held in Sri Lanka, the youth teams of Nepal and New Zealand competed in the final of the plate champion. Nepal created history by winning over the Test nation in the final of the tournament between the teams that will be eliminated from the group stage of the World Cup.
In the match held in Colombo, Nepal won the title of Plate Championship with a thrilling victory of 1 wicket. In the match held in Colombo, Nepal won by 1 wicket
The target of 205 runs given by New Zealand was completed by Nepal with the loss of 9 wickets with the last 2 balls remaining. Basant Regmi scored 66 runs on behalf of Nepal. Similarly, on behalf of Nepal, Ratan Rauniyar scored 26 runs not out, Prem Chaudhary scored 25 runs, captain Kanishk Chaugai scored 17 runs, wicketkeeper Mahesh Chhetri scored 16 runs and Sharad Bheshawkar scored 18 runs.
Captain Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Tim Southee, who were in the U-19 team of New Zealand at that time, have been performing very well in the senior team of New Zealand.
After 10 years, the youth teams of Nepal and New Zealand competed in the group stage of the U-19 World Cup held in Bangladesh in 2016. In that match again Nepali youth team managed to defeat New Zealand by 32 runs.
Nepal, who batted first, scored 238 runs for the loss of 7 wickets. Opener Sandeep Sunar scored 39 runs and Sunil Dhamala scored 15 runs for Nepal. Yogendra Singh Karki was dismissed for 6 runs but captain Raju Rijal contributed 48 runs.
Similarly, Aarif Sheikh scored 39 runs, Rajveer Singh scored 24 runs, Dipendra Singh Airee scored 16 runs. Kushal Bhurtel, who batted at number seven, hit 5 fours in 23 balls while scoring 35 not out.
Chasing a target of 239 runs, New Zealand were bowled out for 206 runs in 47.1 overs. Opening batsman Glenn Phillips scored 52 runs and Dale Phillips scored 41 runs for New Zealand. Nepal made three New Zealand batsmen run out including opener Rachin Ravindra. Ravindra was run out by Sandeep Lamichhane for 4 runs, Kushal Bhurtel was run out for Christian Leopard for 1 run and Dale Phillips was run out for 41 runs by Dipendra Singh Airee.
In bowling, Dipendra Singh Airee managed to take 3 wickets for Nepal. Similarly, Prem Tamang took 2 wickets while Sunil Dhamala and Sandeep Lamichhane took 1 wicket each. At that time, Rachin Rabindra and Glen Phillips, who were in the U-19 team of New Zealand, are now playing excellently in the senior team.
Eight years after participating in the last tournament, Nepal is competing again with New Zealand. It will not be easy for Nepal to repeat the history in the match to be played in South Africa.
New Zealand are aiming to break the title drought in U-19 history. New Zealand, who reached the finals in the 1998 World Cup, reached the semi-finals in 2020.
New Zealand withdrew its name from the previous edition of the World Cup due to Covid-19. Because of this, New Zealand made it to the 2024 World Cup through the Asia-Pacific Qualifiers. New Zealand won all 6 matches in the qualifiers.
Nepal Squad
Dev Khanal (captain), Arjun Kumal, Akash Tripathi, Deepak Prasad Dumre, Durgesh Gupta, Gulsan Kumar Jha, Dipesh Prasad Kandel, Bishal Bikram KC, Subash Bhandari, Deepak Bohra, Uttam Thapa Magar, Bipin Rawal, Tilak Raj Bhandari , Akash Chand.
New Zealand Squad
Oscar Jackson (captain), Mason Clarke, Sam Clod, Jack Cumming, Rahman Hekmat, Tom Jones, James Nelson, Snehit Reddy, Matt Rowe, Ewald Schroeder, Lachlan Stackpole, Oliver Tewatia, Alex Thompson, Ryan Sorgas, Luke Watson.
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