Pant powers India to the top

Rishabh Pant smacked a 24-ball 78 to lead India to a thumping victory over Nepal at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday. Pant, who bludgeoned Nepal's bowlers with five sixes and nine fours in his blistering knock, helped India race past their target of 169 in just 18.1 overs in a match reduced to a 48-overs-a-side affair after a half-hour delay caused by early morning fog. His half-century came off just 18 balls -- the fastest in Under-19 ODIs.

India's emphatic victory was set up by fast bowler Avesh Kumar, who claimed three wickets for 34 runs. Mayank Dagar and Washington Sundar supported him well with two wickets each.

The Rahul Dravid-coached India topped Group D with an all-win record and now faces the second-placed team from Group A -- Bangladesh or Namibia -- in the quarterfinal in Fatullah on February 6.

Qualifiers Nepal, who knocked out New Zealand, await the winner of today's clash between Bangladesh and Namibia in the quarterfinal in Mirpur on February 5.

Pant said he was disappointed to miss out on a century, admitting that he became nervous as he approached the mark.

“I am obviously not happy that I could not get a 100... mainly because I got a little nervous thinking that I may set a new record,” he said. “It was a good pitch for batting and I was able to go through my shots.”

New Zealand, smarting from two losses against India and Nepal, took third place in Group D after a four-wicket win against Ireland in Fatullah. Rachin Ravindra and skipper Josh Finnie picked up three wickets each as New Zealand bowled out Ireland for 212 and then won in the 41st over after Finn Allen scored 97 and Dale Phillips made 58.

Afghanistan finished third in Group B with a four-wicket win over Canada in Sylhet. Muslim Musa and Shamsurrahman Wali took three wickets each as Afghanistan bowled Canada out for 147 and then rode on Tariq Stanikzai's 56 to surpass the target in the 25th over. Afghanistan captain Ihsanullah Janat said his team gained valuable experience playing against teams like Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

SCORES IN BRIEF 
CANADA: 147 all out (Arslan 38; Musa 3-31)
AFGHANISTAN: 149 for 6 in 24.1 overs (Stanikzai 56; Patel 3-17)
Result: Afghanistan won by 4 wickets.
NEPAL: 169 for 8 in 48 overs (Sunar 37; Avesh Khan 3-34)
INDIA: 175 for 3 in 18.1 overs (Pant 78, Kishan 52)
Result: India won by 7 wickets. 
IRELAND: 212 all out in 47.5 overs (Tector 56; Ravindra 3-36, Finnie 3-20)
NEW ZEALAND: 213 for 6 in 40.1 overs (Allen 97, Phillips 58; Anders 4-32)
Result: New Zealand won by 4 wickets