KATHMANDU: Nepal triumphed over Kuwait by 165 runs in their fourth match of the ICC U-19 Women's T20 World Cup Qualifiers in the UAE.
Captain Puja Mahato delivered an outstanding all-round performance, leading her team to a dominant victory.
Nepal posted an impressive 213/2 in their 20 overs after opting to bat first at The Sevens ground in Dubai.
Mahato was the star with the bat, scoring an explosive 130 runs off 69 balls, including 17 fours.
She formed a crucial 157-run partnership for the third wicket with Soni Pakhrin, who ended with an unbeaten 43 off 33 balls. Sabitri Dhami and San Prabin contributed 11 and 6 runs, respectively.
In response, Kuwait was set a challenging target of 214 but was bowled out for a mere 48 runs.
Mahato shone with the ball, claiming 5 wickets for just 8 runs in 4 overs, including a maiden.
Rachana Kumari and Simana KC also played vital roles, each taking two wickets. Kuwait’s Zifa Jilani top-scored with 36 runs, but no other batter reached double figures.
With four wins out of five, Nepal's only loss came against the UAE. They will face the UAE again in their final match of the qualifiers on Wednesday.
The four-team round-robin tournament sees the top team securing a place in the U-19 Women's T20 World Cup.
