Nepal national cricket team succumbed to a thumping nine-wicket defeat against India ‘A’ as they crashed out from the group stage of the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup after losing second game in a row in Colombo on Monday.

The second-tier team of cricket giants India dominated Nepal with both ball and bat at the R Premadasa Stadium Cricket. They bowled out Nepal, who chose to bat first, for 167 runs in 39.2 overs and raced to victory in 22.1 overs scoring 172-1.

Nepal had faced a four-wicket defeat against Pakistan ‘A’ in their opening game on Tuesday losing the game in 33rd over in the four team-group that sent the top two sides into the semi-finals.

While Nepal and UAE ‘A’ have crashed out from the group losing both of their matches played and are scheduled to vie in a dead rubber on Wednesday, arch rivals India ‘A’ and Pakistan ‘A’ have progressed to last four and will compete in the next fixture to determine group winners.

Captain Rohit Paudel was the only batter to reach the half century mark for Nepal, who made a sloppy start to their innings and were made to sweat at 37-5 at a moment. But Paudel, who came to bat at number four, contributed 65 off 87, studded with seven hits to the fences.

Paudel also shared a 53-run stand for the sixth wicket with Sompal Kami and 54-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Gulsan Jha before the captain was dismissed. He was caught by wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel off Nishan Sindhu in the 34th over.

Jha was the second best scorer for Nepal scoring 38 runs off 30 that included two hits to boundaries and sixes each, becoming the only player to score a maximum in the innings. Sompal Kami (14 runs off 39) and Dev Khanal (15 runs off 21) were the other players for Nepal to manage a double digit figures.

Nepal openers Kushal Bhurtel (0), Aasif Sheikh (7), Bhim Sharki (4), Kushal Malla (0), Pawan Sarraf (6), Lalit Rajbanshi (3) were dismissed cheaply while Kishore Mahato remained not out on two runs.

Left arm spinner Nishant Sindu, the player-of-the-match, claimed four wickets for India in his 3.2-over spell conceding 14 runs. Rajvardhan Hangargekar returned the figures of 6-1-25-3.

Chasing the target, Indian openers Sai Sudharsan and Ahbishek Sharma slammed a half century each to achieve a comfortable victory. Sharma contributed 87 runs off 69, studded with 12 hits to fences and two sixes, before Paudel had him caught by Kushal Malla.

Sudharsan played an unbeaten 58 runs off 52 that included eight hits to boundaries and a six. Dhruv Jurel played not out 21 runs off 12.