Kathmandu, January 25

Nepal faced second straight defeat in the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup warm-up match when they faced a 65-run loss at the hands of Sri Lanka at the Bangladesh Krira Shikha Protisthan Ground in Savar today.

Batting first, Sri Lanka scored 230-9 in 45 overs before Nepal were all out for 165 runs in 42.1 overs. This is Nepal’s second loss in as many warm-up matches before entering the tournament.

Nepal had faced a 110-run loss at the hands on Pakistan in the first match on Saturday.

Nepal made a positive start against Sri Lanka reducing the Test-playing neighbours to 71-3 in 19 overs before skipper Charith Asalanka and Shammu Ashan took the match away with a 83-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Ashan struck four each fours and sixes in his 101-ball 81, while Asalanka scored 71 off 88 balls that included 10 boundaries.

Sunil Dhamala (2-27), Sandeep Lamichhane (2-61) and Sushil Kandel (2-38) shared six wickets among them, while Dipendra Singh Airee took one wicket for Nepal.

In reply, openers Sandeep Sunar and Sunil Dhamala made a bright start putting in 40 runs in 5.3 overs before Nepal lost four wickets in the space of 22 runs to come under pressure. Sunar scored 12 off 42 balls, while Dhamala struck five fours in his 23-ball 26.

Dipendra Singh Airee top scored for Nepal with an unbeaten 33 off 59 balls that included four boundaries, while skipper Raju Rijal scored 31 off 61 balls hitting two fours. Himamshu Dutta scored 21 off 27 balls, while Yogendra Singh Karki (15) and Aarif Sheikh (10) also scored in double figures.

Charith Asalanka was the pick of Sri Lanka bowlers with 2-11 in five overs, while Lahiru Kumara, Jehan Daniel, Thilan Nimesh and Wanidu Hasaranga de Silva pocketed one wicket each.