Article detail

Kathmandu, June 29, 2025 — Former champions Nepal advanced to the semifinals of the ACC U-16 East Zone Cup with a resounding 370-run victory over Indonesia on Sunday, securing their third consecutive win in the tournament.

Playing at the Selangor Turf Club ground in Malaysia, Nepal set an imposing target of 421 runs for Indonesia. In response, Indonesia was bowled out for just 50 runs in 24.3 overs, with only two of their batters reaching double digits.

Outstanding Batting Performance from Nepal
Nepal's top-order batsmen set the tone early, with Captain Bipin Prasai Sharma's leadership guiding the team to a formidable total. The team's aggressive batting saw them post a total of 420 runs after losing five wickets in their allotted 50 overs.

The star of the innings was Pradeep Jaisi, who scored a brilliant 132 runs off 114 balls, including 15 boundaries and one six. He shared a crucial partnership of 148 runs for the third wicket with Ronak Srivastav, who made an excellent 88 runs off 71 balls, including eight fours and two sixes.

In the lower order, Parimajjan Yadav added 71 runs off just 28 balls, hitting eight sixes and four fours, while Joy Thapa contributed 57 runs off 41 balls, with seven boundaries. Sugam Budhathoki remained not out at 39, while Roshan Shahi added a quick-fire 10 runs to the total.

Indonesia's Struggle and Nepal's Dominance
In reply, Indonesia’s batting line-up crumbled under pressure. Kavin Niraj Chaddha (15) and Dibhit Nandha (14) were the only notable contributors, with the rest of the team failing to get going. Nepal's bowlers dominated, with Captain Bipin Prasai Sharma, Sugam Budhathoki, and Subham Khanal each picking up one wicket. Nepal's bowlers kept their lines tight, ensuring no partnership could develop.

Indonesia's Bowling Response
Despite the heavy defeat, Indonesia's bowlers showed some resilience. Ketuk Dharmaputra was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets, while Kavin Niraj Chaddha, Mahendra Aji Yuda Pratama, and Rehan Rija Athayala each picked up a wicket.

Nepal’s Progress to Semifinals
With this massive win, Nepal now sits at the top of Group A with 6 points from three matches. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s loss has seen them exit the tournament, finishing in fourth place with just two points. Nepal's win also secured a semifinal berth for Singapore, who previously defeated Japan and Singapore in their group matches.

Nepal’s final group-stage match will be against Bhutan on Tuesday, where they will look to continue their impressive form and fine-tune their strategies ahead of the semifinals.