Nepal has failed to qualify for the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2026 after their match against Afghanistan was cancelled due to rain. Nepal required a win to qualify, while Afghanistan advanced on net run rate. Despite previous victories over Afghanistan, their quest for this year’s World Cup ended in disappointment.
Nepal has regrettably failed to secure qualification for the ICC U-19 World Cup, which is set to take place in Zimbabwe and Namibia next year. This failure resulted from their final match against Afghanistan in the ICC U-19 Asia Qualifier being cancelled due to persistent rain on Saturday.
In order to qualify, Nepal required an outright victory in this critical match at the Mulpani Cricket Ground, whereas Afghanistan needed merely a no-result or draw, thanks to their superior net run rate. Continuous rain from Friday evening into Saturday morning caused portions of the outfield to remain waterlogged, despite efforts made to dry the inner circle.
Officials, including match referees and umpires, conducted a thorough inspection of the playing surface but determined that even a curtailed 20-over match could not proceed, leading to the cancellation of the fixture. With both teams having won their previous three matches, they were tied on points prior to the match. Afghanistan led the round-robin group with a net run rate of 4.81, compared to Nepal’s 3.57.
The tournament featured five teams—Nepal, Afghanistan, the UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong—with only the top team advancing to the 2026 ICC U-19 World Cup. Notably, Nepal had previously triumphed over Afghanistan by one wicket in the past edition of the World Cup in South Africa and had defeated them in the ACC U-19 Asia Cup last November. Nonetheless, Afghanistan had secured a 2-1 victory in a preceding three-match series against Nepal before this qualifier.
Nepal has a history of competing in the ICC U-19 World Cup, having participated in this esteemed tournament eight times before, but they will not add to that number in the upcoming event.
In conclusion, Nepal’s aspirations for qualification to the ICC U-19 World Cup were thwarted due to the cancellation of their crucial match against Afghanistan, resulting from severe weather conditions. The team needed a victory to qualify, while Afghanistan advanced owing to their better net run rate. Nepal’s past successes against Afghanistan make this outcome particularly disappointing as they had hoped to continue their legacy in the tournament.
Original Source: kathmandupost.com
