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After failing to take a wicket against Pakistan as India lost by eight wickets, Baroda pacer Raj Limbani went on a rampage against Nepal in India’s final group-stage clash at the Under-19 Asia Cup. Limbani picked up seven wickets from the 9.1 overs he bowled to bundle out Nepal for a paltry total of 52. Indian openers made short work of the run chase and won the game in the eighth over with 257 balls to spare.
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Earlier, Indian captain Uday Saharan won the toss and opted to field first. Limbani drew first blood in the fifth over of the innings with Deepak Bohara's wicket who scored just one run from 11 balls. His next victim with the new ball was wicketkeeper-batter Uttam Magar who departed for a seven-ball duck. Aaradhya Shukla joined the part in the eighth over to dismiss opener Arjun Kumal who scored seven runs from 22 deliveries. In the next over, Limbani dismissed Nepal captain Dev Khanal. The rampage continued and Limbani dismissed Deepak Dumre off the next delivery as half the side returned to the dressing room for a score of 17.
Gulsan Jha hit a boundary and then was trapped in front of the stumps by Shukla. Dipak Bohara and Dipensh Kandel tried to survive the new ball but Limbani in his marathon spell dismissed him as well. Arshin Kulkarni was brought into the attack and he sent Kandel packing. Then Limbani wrapped up Nepal's innings in the 22nd over. No.10 batter Heman Dhami turned out to be the top run-scorer in the innings. He scored eight runs from 18 balls. No Nepal batter could score in double digits. Nepal's total would have been even lower had it not been for 12 wides including seven from Shukla and a no ball.
In the run chase, Adarsh Singh contributed with a run-a-ball 13. On the other end, Kulkarni went after Nepal bowlers hitting them for five sixes and one four in his unbeaten 30-ball 42. India won the match in 7.1 overs by 10 wickets with 257 balls to spare.
Limbani registered the best bowling figures of the tournament. The previous best belonged to Pakistan’s Mohammad Zeeshan who took six wickets for 19 runs against Nepal.
With a commanding win, India have qualified for the semifinal stage. The two semifinals will be played on December 15 followed by the final on December 17.
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