India U-19 Dominates Nepal in ACC Men's U-19 Asia Cup 2026 Opener
India U-19's Strong Start in Asia Cup
Al Amerat (Oman), November 6: The India Under-19 team kicked off their ACC Men’s U-19 Asia Cup 2026 campaign with an impressive 10-wicket win against Nepal Under-19 at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground on Friday. The victory was marked by a solid bowling display spearheaded by Ishan Sood and a stellar performance from Aaryavir Sehwag, who scored an unbeaten half-century.
After winning the toss, India chose to bowl first, successfully limiting Nepal to a total of 128 runs in 42.3 overs. The Indian team then chased down the target effortlessly, finishing at 129 runs without losing a wicket in just 19.1 overs.
Aaryavir Sehwag, the son of former Indian opener Virender Sehwag, was the star of the chase, scoring 70 runs off 52 balls. Captain Lakshya Rajesh Raichandani supported him well, remaining not out on 53 runs from 63 deliveries. Their partnership ensured a smooth and comprehensive victory for India.
Sehwag was particularly aggressive, consistently finding the boundary and putting pressure on the Nepalese bowlers, while Raichandani provided stability from the other end.
Earlier in the match, India's bowlers took advantage of the conditions, putting Nepal under pressure right from the start. Ishan Sood emerged as the standout bowler, taking three wickets for just 18 runs in his 10 overs, which included four maiden overs. His disciplined bowling was crucial in dismantling the Nepal batting order.
Nepal faced an early collapse, losing key players Prashiddha Jaishi (1), Suryanshu Koirala (5), and Nischal Chhetri (0) quickly, with Ishan claiming all three wickets and leaving Nepal struggling at 27 for three.
Although Niraj Kumar Yadav (20) and Darsh Sonar tried to stabilize the innings, India maintained their pressure with tight bowling and fielding. Sonar was the top scorer for Nepal, managing 43 runs off 93 balls, while wicketkeeper Aashish Luhar added 29 runs off 45 balls. However, Nepal could not form any significant partnerships to recover from their early losses.
India's bowlers continued to take wickets at regular intervals, ultimately dismissing Nepal for 128 runs in 42.3 overs. Besides Ishan, Arjun Rajput and Yashveer Goud each took two wickets, while Manal Chauhan and Kavya Patel chipped in with one wicket each.
Ishan Sood was awarded the Player of the Match for his outstanding bowling performance.
Post-match, India U-19 captain Lakshya Rajesh Raichandani expressed satisfaction with the team's strategy, emphasizing their plan to exploit the early movement and maintain pressure by bowling accurately. He remarked, “Winning the toss was beneficial. We capitalized on the early movement effectively. The bowlers focused on hitting good lengths and maintaining pressure. The wicket improved as the game progressed, and our planning was spot on.”