DUBAI: Kuwait’s skipper, Meet Bhavsar, scored a magnificent 175, leading his team to a one-wicket victory over Nepal in the Under-19 Asia Cup’s last round match.
In the ongoing tournament’s final round match. Bhavsar, Kuwait’s outstanding performer, kept his cool and chased down 240 in the second last over, smashing three boundaries in the last over.
Set to chase 240, Kuwait, were off to a brilliant start; with the openers putting on a brilliant century partnership. The duo added 117-runs for the first wicket before Jude Saldanha departed after scoring 25 off 42 balls.
Soon after, wickets began to tumble at an alarming rate, but, Bhavsar stood firm at the other. He kept the scoreboard ticking single-handedly, while rest of the batters were departing cheaply.
Bhavsar scored a magnificent 175 off 149 balls, laced with 24 boundaries and a six. He claimed the record for the highest individual score in the ongoing tournament.
Nepal bowlers were good, but, could not get the last breakthrough for their side. Gulshan Jha starred; taking three wickets, while Sher Mall, Bashir Ahamad, and Bibek Yadav each bagged two wickets.
Batting first, Nepal had a contrasting start to their innings; losing the first three wickets for just 27 runs. Bibek Magar and Ahamad, however, stabilized the situation for the side; both scoring half-centuries and took their side to 119 before Magar dismissed. He scored a brilliant 50 off 76 balls, including six boundaries.
Soon after, Ahamad also dismissed after scoring 56, he faced 61 balls and smashed seven boundaries and a six. The side was slipped to 143/7 before Mohammad Aadil Alam chipped in with an important cameo of 49; facing just 42 balls and smashed two boundaries and five sixes. Nepal, in the end, bowled out for 239.
For Kuwait, Abdul Sadiq and Mirza Ahmed each claimed three wickets, while Henry Thomas Mohammad Bastaki took two wickets apiece.
