Nepal Triumphs ACC Under-16 Men’s East Zone Cup 2025

Nepal U-16 cricket team celebrating the trophy after the finals. Photo: CAN

Kathmandu: Nepal Under-16 Cricket Team won the recently concluded ACC Under-16 Men’s East Zone Cup 2025 in Malaysia. The tournament, played in a 50-over format, saw Nepal play a fearless and dominating brand of cricket, winning all the matches they played. Placed in Group A along with Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, and Bhutan, Nepal won all their group matches comprehensively.

The squad for the ACC Men’s U16 East Zone Cup included Bipin Prasad Sharma (Captain), Suryanshu Koirala (Vice-Captain), Shiwansh Bajgai (Wicketkeeper), Parimarjan Yadav (Wicketkeeper), Raunak Shrivastav, Abhay Yadav, Sachin Bhatta, Sugam Bhudhathoki, Suyog Bhattrai, Sushil Rawal, Shubham Khanal, Prasiddha Jaishi, Joy Thapa, and Roshan Shahi.

On June 22, Nepal played the first game against Singapore at YSD UKM Oval, Bangi. They restricted Singapore batsmen to just 138 runs in 36.1 overs, and later chased down the total in 33.3 overs at the loss of 4 wickets. In the second game against Japan, played on June 24 at Kolej Tuanku Jaafar Oval, Kuala Lumpur, Nepal continued to dominate as they bowled out Japan for just 80 runs. Nepali batsmen chased down the total winning by 9 wickets.

Nepal’s third game against Indonesia on June 29 at the Selangor Turf Club, Kuala Lumpur, was for the record books. Batting first, Nepali batsmen posted a hefty 420 runs in 50 overs with the loss of 5 wickets. Opening batsman Prashiddha Jaishi scored a brilliant 132 runs off 114 balls, along with his opening partner Parimarjan Yadav scoring 71 off just 28 balls. The Nepal batting innings also saw the brilliance of Raunak Srivastav (88 runs off 71 balls), Joy Thapa (57 runs off 41 balls), and Sugam Budhathoki (39 runs off 34 balls).

Later, Nepali bowlers restricted Indonesian batsmen to only 50 runs in 24.3 overs. Nepal captain Bipin Prasad Sharma led from the front with an outstanding spell, claiming an incredible 6 wickets for just 12 runs from 7.3 overs, while Sugam Budhathoki and Shubham Khanal also picked up a wicket each.

The team replicated a similar performance on July 1 when they played their last group match against Bhutan at Selangor Turf Club, Kuala Lumpur. A stunning 168 runs off 132 balls from Raunak Srivastav ensured Nepal posted 358/5 in 50 overs. Shiwansh Bajgain (54 runs off 52 balls), Sugam Budhathoki (35 runs off 33 balls), and Joy Thapa (61 runs off 67 balls) contributed to the huge total.

However, Bhutan’s batsmen couldn’t come close to the target as they were all out for 60 runs in 32.4 overs. Captain Sharma again led from the front as he picked up 4 wickets in 10 overs, giving away just 7 runs. Suyog Bhattarai and Sachin Bhatta picked up two wickets each to help Nepal win by 298 runs and reach the semi-finals.

Moreover, the semi-finals against the host nation Malaysia, on July 3, was a walk in the park for the Rhinos. Nepali bowlers bundled out Malaysian batsmen for 90 runs in 43.1 overs, and successfully chased down the total in 11.4 overs with the loss of just one wicket. Abhay Yadav bagged the Man of the Match in the semi-finals for his bowling efforts of 4 wickets in 10 overs.

In the finals, on July 5, Nepal faced Singapore, whom they played against in the first group match of the tournament. Bowling first, Nepal showed another clinical performance with the ball, as they bowled out Singapore for 113 runs in 40.5 overs.

The match got interesting when Nepal lost wickets one after another during the run chase and were at 92 for 8 at one stage. But the young Rhinos kept their nerves to eventually win the thrilling final against Singapore Under-16 at the UKM-YSD Oval in Bangi by 2 wickets.

A complete domination throughout the tournament meant Nepali batsman Raunak Srivastav, who was the tournament’s highest run scorer with 296 runs, earned a well-deserved Man of the Tournament award. Likewise, Nepal’s captain and bowler Bipin Prasad Sharma was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 17 wickets in 6 games.

President of the Asian Cricket Council, Mr. Mohsin Naqvi, who was impressed with Nepal’s performance, shared, “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Nepal U-16 team for their outstanding performance and well-deserved victory at the ACC Men’s U16 East Zone Cup 2025. Your dedication, talent, and team spirit were truly inspiring.”

Upon reaching Nepali soil after the triumph, the President of Nepal, Ramchandra Paudel, invited the Nepal Under-16 Cricket Team to the Rashtrapati Bhawan in Kathmandu to extend congratulations. The congratulatory ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Youth and Sports of Nepal, Teju Lal Chaudhary, the Secretary of the Cricket Association of Nepal, Paras Khadka, and other dignitaries.

This championship, especially at the age-level cricket, implies the growth of cricket in Nepal. In the associate as well as regional circuits, Nepal has now announced themselves as a tough competitor. And this has been possible because of the growing interest in sports in the country, leading to the development of cricket infrastructure, even at the grassroots level, from both the government and the private sector.