Nepal claimed a resounding 165-run victory over Kuwait in the Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier, thanks to an all-round performance by captain Puja Mahato. In Tuesday’s match in the UAE, Nepal posted a formidable 213-run total, which Kuwait fell short of, getting bowled out for just 48 runs in 13 overs.
Kuwait’s captain, Zeefa Jilani, fought hard with 36 runs off 42 balls, but none of the other batters managed to reach double figures.
For Nepal, Puja Mahato was the star with the ball, taking five wickets for only eight runs in her four overs. Rachana Chaudhary and Seemana KC each contributed with two wickets.
Earlier, Nepal won the toss and chose to bat in Ajman, UAE, setting a tournament record total of 213 for 2 in 20 overs.
Puja Mahato was the standout performer, scoring a historic century, unbeaten 130 runs off 69 balls, including 17 fours. Her century, completed in 57 balls with 12 boundaries, marked the first century ever in the U-19 Women’s category for Nepal and only the second in Nepal women’s cricket history. This innings also established Puja as the record-holder for the highest individual score by a Nepali woman in international cricket.
Puja’s century was the first of the ongoing tournament and surpassed the previous high score set by UAE’s Lavanya Keny, who scored 99 against Kuwait. The first century for Nepal’s women’s cricket came from Rubina Chhetry ( 118 ) earlier this year in the ACC Women’s Premier Cup against the Maldives.
Alongside Puja, Sony Pakhrin added a valuable 43 runs off 33 balls with two boundaries.
Nepal’s impressive total of 213 is now the highest team score by the Nepal U-19 Women in international cricket.
Nepal’s Qualification Hopes Hinge on Upcoming Clash with UAE
Even after this commanding victory, Nepal remains in second place in the points table. UAE holds the top spot with 10 points, winning all 5 of their matches, while Nepal stands at 8 points with 4 wins from 5 matches. To qualify for the U-19 Women’s World Cup next year, Nepal must not only defeat UAE in their upcoming match but also surpass them in net run rate. If Nepal wins, both teams will end up with 10 points, making net run rate the deciding factor. Currently, Nepal’s net run rate is 4.3300, while UAE’s is slightly higher at 4.7915.
Nepal will be aiming to avenge their previous loss to UAE, where they fell short by 13 runs.
Meanwhile, Thailand and Kuwait are already out of the race; Thailand has only 1 win in 5 matches, and Kuwait has lost all 5.
Scenario for Nepal to Finish Top of the Table Above UAE
- If Nepal bats first and scores 140, they need to win by at least 21 runs.
- If UAE bats first and posts 140, Nepal needs to chase the target within 16.1 overs.
| Position | Team | Matches Played | Wins | Losses | No Result | Ties | Points | Win % | Net Run Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UAE | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 100% | 4.7915 |
| 2 | Nepal | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 80% | 4.3300 |
| 3 | Thailand | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20% | -3.1045 |
| 4 | Kuwait | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | -5.8300 |
