SAVAR: India opened their campaign in the U-19 Asia Cup in style, notching up a dominating 171-run win over minnows Nepal in a group A match here Saturday.
Put in to bat, India scored 304 for nine, riding on opener Yashasvi Jaiswal's 104 and wicket-keeper PrabhSimran Singh's 84.
Yashasvi hit as many as eight boundaries and five maximums in his blistering knock. India lost their first wicket when Devdutt Padikkal was caught leg before by Bhim Sharki's delivery in the 17th over.
Captain Pawan Shah (13) departed next. PrabhSimran and Yashasvi then stitched a 76-run partnership to take India close to the 200-run mark. Quick knocks by Ayush Badoni (33) and Mohit Jangra (19) ensured India cross 300.
Bhim Sharki scalped four wickets for 42 runs, while Rashid Khan registered figures of 2/45.
Chasing 305 to win, Nepal made a good start with Rabindra Shahi and Ravi Kumar Sah sharing a 31-run partnership in eight overs before both the openers were dismissed within two overs.
Skipper Asif Sheikh (25), Sundeep Jora (20) and Rohit Paudel (24) got starts, but Nepal couldn't stand up to India's top notch bowling, losing wickets at regular intervals.
Eventually, India bundled out Nepal for a paltry 133 in 36.4 overs. Siddharth Desai and Harsh Tyagi were the pick of the bowlers, registering figures of 3/19 and 3/21, respectively.
Yashasvi was adjudged Man of the Match.
India are clubbed with Afghanistan, Nepal and UAE in Group A. They will face UAE next on Sunday.