Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Nepal began its 2023 ACC U-19 Asia Cup campaign with a seven-wicket defeat against Pakistan at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai on Friday.
Invited to bat first after losing the toss, Nepal scored 152 runs, losing all wickets in 47.2 overs. Pakistan chased down the target, losing three wickets in 26.2 overs.
Nepal made a poor start with the bat, losing opener Tilak Bhandari with just 10 runs on the board. Opener Arjun Kumar scored 21 runs from 37 balls, but he didn’t find support from the other end as Nepal consistently lost wickets. The top-order collapse saw Nepal crumble to 5-46 by the 17th over. While Akash Tripathi scored six runs from 22 balls, captain Dev Khanal was out for a duck after facing 13 balls, and Gulshan Jha, brought to strengthen the U-19 side from the senior team, was out, scoring one run off four balls. Uttam Magar played a beautiful knock to take Nepal to a respectable total. He scored 51 runs off 76 balls, which included two sixes and three fours. Dipesh Kandel scored 31 runs from 59 balls. Seven Nepali batters failed to reach double digits.
Mohammad Zeeshan was the pick of the Pakistani bowlers as he took six Nepali wickets. Amir Hassan claimed two wickets, while Ubai Shah and Ali Asfand each had a wicket to their names.
Although Pakistan lost openers Shamyl Hussain and Shahzaib Khan early while chasing a small target, Azan Awais and Saaid Baig scored half-centuries to avoid any upset. Awais scored an unbeaten 56 runs off 62 balls, while Baig scored 50 runs off 56 balls. Mohammad Zeeshan scored an unbeaten 20 runs from eight balls, and opener Shahzaib Khan scored 15 runs from 29 balls.
Gulshan Jha took two wickets for Nepal, while Akash Tripathi had a wicket to his name.
Nepal will play its next match against Afghanistan on Sunday.
