Captain Dev Khanal and opener Arjun Kumal cracked record centuries for Nepal as they registered a thumping 243-run victory over Kuwait to pull off a second win in a row in the Asia Regional Qualifier of the ICC U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.

Electing to bat first, Nepal posted a mammoth total of 343-7 in the allotted 50 overs at the Malek Cricket Ground in Ajman. While bowling, Akash Chand grabbed six wickets for Nepal, who bowled out Kuwait for a paltry total of 100 runs in 30.5 overs.

It was the first occasion that two Nepali batters scored centuries in the same international match. Khanal also matched the record of highest individual score in an international Under-19 tournament after he scored 125 runs, levelling the previous best score of Kaniska Chaugain during the 2003 ACC Under-19 Cup against the Maldives.

Nepal had defeated Singapore by 96 runs in their first match of the campaign on Friday. Nepal will play against Hong Kong in their next match on Monday.

Aakash Tripathi and Bishal Bikram KC slammed a half-century each as Nepal made a flying start, defeating Singapore by 96 runs in their Asia Regional Qualifier of the ICC U-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign at the Eden Garden Oval in Ajman, on Friday.

Captain Khanal and Kumal created the foundation for Nepal’s big total with a 170-run third-wicket partnership. After losing opener Deepak Bohara on 13 runs and number three batter Aakash Tripathi on two runs, the duo punished the Kuwait bowlers with a mature display.

Captain Khanal cracked 125 runs off 117 balls and Kumal smashed 108 runs off 112, with both of them scoring the first centuries of their career. Kumal hit 12 boundaries before Henry Thomas caught him off a Jay Maheshkumar Mehta delivery in the 38th over.

Captain Khanal, who smashed nine hits to the fence along with three sixes, departed as the sixth wicket when Haiber Ali had him caught by Gautham Mohandas Poolakkal in the penultimate over.

Bishal Bikram KC ( 23 runs), Dipak Dumre (not out 20 runs) and Dipak Bohara (19 runs) were the other contributors for Nepal.

Kuwait bowlers Arsh Sahil Kazmi and Henry Thomas took two wickets each. Kazmi gave away 42 runs in his nine-over spell and bowled three maiden overs. Thomas conceded 66 runs in his 10 overs of bowling.

Chasing the target, Kuwait kept losing wickets in quick succession following the dismissal of its openers Het Kishorebhai Hinsu and Jude Christopher Saldhana, who were two of the three Kuwait batters to get to double-digit scores.

Hinsu, caught by captain Dev Khanal off Chand’s delivery, scored a run-a-ball 16 that included three hits to the boundary. Captain Saldhana contributed 26 runs, the highest of the innings before he too was dismissed after Dipesh Kandel had him caught by Hemant Dhami.

Middle-order batter Yusuf Sadiq was the other batter to score for Kuwait, contributing 19 runs off 42 balls. He was caught and bowled by Kandel.

Player-of-the-match Chand was the pick of Nepal’s bowling with six wickets. He conceded 43 runs in his 9.5 overs of bowling. Kandel and Dhami picked up two wickets each. Kandel conceded 19 runs in his eight overs of bowling while Dhami gave away 25 runs in his six-over spell.

The side finishing on top of the table among six teams that also include Malaysia and UAE will be eligible to play the 2024 World Cup to take place in Sri Lanka.