Nepal beat Ireland by 61 runs in its last game in Group D of the ICC U-19 World Cup cricket tournament played at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo, Sri Lanka today.

Winning the toss first, Ireland elected to field first and invited Nepal to taste the fast swing in the early hours. Sarad Veswaker struck a splendid not out 82 runs to lead the Nepal’s tally to 234 runs losing eight wickets in the allotted 50 overs.

Nepal got off to a good start with captain Kanishka Chaugai and his opening partner Mahesh Chhetri putting 54 runs in the first wicket partnership (with Chaugai departing). Chaugai blistered the run-rate with his powerful stroke which included 5 fours and one flying sixer in his 40 runs.

Nepal then lost Chhetri quickly to stand at 2-60. Then one-down batsman Sarad Vesawkar played sensitively with Gyanendra Malla and Paras Khadka and put 89 runs for the third wicket partnership. Nepal were 3-99 with Malla departing in the 22nd over and reached 4-188 when Khadka got out. Paras Khadka contributed an impressive 47 runs.

The last five wickets was scraped in just 17 runs, but by then, Nepal was well on its way to make 234 runs in the allotted 50 overs.

Nepal’s fall of wickets was as follows:

1-54 (Chaugai, 9.1 ov), 2-60 (Chhetri, 11.3 ov), 3-99 (Malla, 22.1 ov), 4-188 (Khadka, 42.2 ov), 5-209 (Chaudhary, 45.6 ov), 6-217 (Bataju, 47.3 ov),7-230 (Regmi, 49.2 ov), 8-233 (Rauniyar, 49.5 ov).

For Ireland, right medium fast bowler McDarby took three wickets while Kidd grabbed a couple wickets with his off-spin trap.

In reply Ireland could only muster 174 runs in 45.3 overs losing all wickets. EJG Morgan contributed the highest 86 runs for the team.

Nepalese bowlers Rauniyar and Kesari took two wickets.

Ireand’s fall of wickets was as follows:

1-7 (Stirling, 1.3 ov), 2-52 (McAllister, 15.5 ov),3-79 (Wilson, 20.4 ov), 4-145 (Poynter, 36.3 ov),5-149 (Rankin, 38.2 ov), 6-156 (Morgan, 39.6 ov), 7-157 (Hall, 40.2 ov), 8-157 (Thompson, 40.4 ov), 9-159 (McDarby, 41.2 ov), 10-174 (Kidd, 45.3 ov).

The win was worthless for Nepal to get entry to the Super League after England defeated Nepal by 77 runs in the first match and Zimbabwe defeated Nepal by 2 runs in the second match. The top two teams from each group qualify for the Super League series while the bottom two go to the Plate Championship.

Nepal will play with Uganda in the quarterfinal of the plate championship.