KATHMANDU: Nepal failed to qualify in the team events of the first U-16 Asian Youth Badminton Championships in Colombo today.

Nepal lost to Chinese Taipei in the boys’ team event. Irfan Ansari and Anup Gurung played the singles while Dipesh Dhami and Bilal Warsi teamed up in doubles. Ansari lost against KP Chen 21-9, 21-11 and Gurung lost to Lio Chi Hung 21-14, 21-8. Dhami and Warsi were beaten 21-9, 21-11 by Tian Ju Cheh and Hu Juiting.

“I could not play up to my potential,” said Gurung adding that he also committed too many unforced errors. Ansari said that he felt uneasy playing in the court from the start.

Both the players, however, said that they will

try to excel their performance in the singles

and doubles events beginning from Thursday. Nepal’s team coach Krishna Sundar Bista said his players played under extreme pressure.