Afghanistan has secured qualification for the ICC U-19 World Cup 2026 after their final match against Nepal in the Asia Qualifier was called off due to rain.
The decisive match, scheduled to take place on Saturday at the Lower Cricket Ground in Mulpani, Kathmandu, was abandoned without a toss due to a wet outfield. As a result, both teams shared a point each, allowing Afghanistan to qualify on the basis of a superior net run rate.
Both Nepal and Afghanistan finished the tournament with seven points each, but Afghanistan edged ahead with a net run rate of 4.81 compared to Nepal’s 3.57, clinching the lone qualifying spot for the World Cup to be jointly held in Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2026.
Earlier in the five-team qualifier, Nepal had defeated the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Hong Kong, and Oman to stay in contention for the top spot. However, the washed-out final encounter dashed Nepal’s hopes of booking a place in the upcoming global tournament.
