Bloemfontein: In a Super Six Group 1 clash at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein, India secured their place in the U19 Cricket World Cup semifinals with a commanding victory over Nepal. Sachin Dhas and Uday Saharan’s centuries powered India to a formidable total of 297/5, while Saumy Pandey’s impressive four-wicket haul limited Nepal to 165/9.
Opting to bat first, India’s top three started promisingly but stumbled to 62/3. However, a resilient partnership between Dhas and Saharan, amassing 215 runs for the fourth wicket, steered India back on track, propelling them to a substantial total. Dhas scored 116, and Saharan contributed a century with 100 runs. Gulsan Jha was the most successful bowler for Nepal, claiming 3 wickets for 56 runs.
In response, Nepal faced a slow start in their chase and lost wickets at regular intervals. They found themselves at 120/9 before the last-wicket pair of Durgesh Gupta and Aakash Chand managed to bat out the 50 overs, preventing Nepal from being bowled out. Dev Khanal top-scored for Nepal with 33 runs. Saumy Pandey continued his stellar form, securing his second successive four-wicket haul in the tournament, finishing with figures of 4-29. Arshin Kulkarni also contributed with 2 wickets for 18 runs.
With this victory, India demonstrated their dominance in the U19 Cricket World Cup, showcasing a blend of solid batting and disciplined bowling. The team’s comprehensive performance has earned them a spot in the semifinals, furthering their campaign in the prestigious tournament.