Kathmandu, February 20:

Nepal have been eliminated from the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup and were left to play for the Plate Championship after Sri Lanka beat Namibia by 163 runs for their second successive victory in Penang in their group C match on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka piled up 247-7 and restricted Namibia to 84. Sri Lankan win today meant that they advanced to the quarter-finals along with Australia. Both the teams have maximum four points from two matches and the winner between the two teams on Friday will decide the group leader. Out of the main competition, Nepal and Namibia play their final game at University Sains Malaysia on Thursday.

Meanwhile, hosts Malaysia surprisingly beat Zimbabwe by 70 runs to raise a rare cheer for the minnows as established teams flexed their muscles today. Malaysia put up a spirited display to give themselves an outside chance of advancing to the quarter-finals.

Malaysia, restricted to 194-8 in their innings, bowled out Zimbabwe for 124 in a group ‘A’ match in Johor. Malaysia must, however, beat New Zealand in their last league match on Thursday to join defending champions Pakistan in the quarter-finals.

In other matches, the outsiders were given a cricketing lesson as Test nations Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the West Indies powered to easy wins. The West Indies rattled up 319 against Papua New Guinea, with Steven Jacobs smashing 101 off 86 balls. Papua New Guinea managed only 143 in reply in Group ‘B’.

The West Indies, who previously lost to South Africa, need a win over India on Friday to force a three-way tie from the group. Bangladesh also recorded emphatic win to qualify for the knock-out rounds from their group ‘D’.

Bangladesh thumped Ireland by eight wickets in group D to warm up for Friday’s clash against England that will decide the top spot in the group. Ireland were shot out for 123, a target Bangladesh surpassed in the 23rd.