Afghanistan defeated Nepal by 130 runs in the opening game of the three-match one-day series at the Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground on Thursday. Faisal Shinozada fell short of three runs for his century, but his knock of 97 off 88 alongside Khalid Ahmadzai’s 76 off 107 helped Afghanistan to 300/9 by the end of 50 overs. Shinozada was adjudged the player of the match. For Nepal, Santosh Yadav and Abhishekh Tiwari bagged three and two wickets, respectively. In response, Nepal could only post 170 runs by the time the team was bundled out in 46.2 overs. Niraj Kumar Yadav’s 53 off 61 was the only handsome score for Nepal. Mahboob Khan, Zaitullah Saheen and Wahidullah Zadran picked up two wickets each against Nepal. The second and final games of the series will be played on April 6 and 9, respectively. “This was the first international game for this batch of youngsters,” Nepal’s U19 head coach Shakti Gauchan said after the match. “This series is crucial for us as we prepare for the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 U19 Cricket World Cup in mid-April. We will improve with time.” Nepal face Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Oman and the UAE in the qualifiers.