KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 12

Nepal claimed a convincing victory against Kuwait in their fifth match of the ICC U-19 Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier, winning by 165 runs at The Sevens Stadium in the United Arab Emirates.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Nepal set a formidable target, scoring 213 runs for the loss of just 2 wickets in their 20 overs.

Captain Puja Mahato delivered a stellar all-round performance, scoring 130 runs off 69 balls, which included 17 boundaries. Supporting her efforts, Soni Pakhrin contributed 43 runs from 33 balls, while Sabitri Dhami and Sana Praveen added 11 and 6 runs, respectively. Kuwait's bowling attack struggled throughout the innings, conceding 23 extras.

Facing a daunting target of 214, Kuwait's batting lineup faltered, being bowled out for a mere 48 runs in just 13 overs. Zifa Jilani was the only significant contributor for Kuwait, scoring 36 runs off 42 balls with seven boundaries. Unfortunately for Kuwait, no other batter managed to reach double figures, while Nepal's bowlers maintained their discipline, giving away only seven extras.

Puja Mahato not only excelled with the bat but also shone with the ball, claiming five wickets in her spell. Her teammates Rachana Kumari Chaudhary and Seema KC played crucial roles in the bowling department, each taking two wickets.

Kuwait managed to capture two wickets, with Zifa Jilani and Relin Maria D'Souza each claiming one.

Nepal will face the UAE on Wednesday.

The tournament features Nepal, UAE, Kuwait, and Thailand, with only the top team qualifying for the 2025 U-19 World Cup in Malaysia.