OMAN WIN ICC U19 MEN’S DIVISION 2 QUALIFER FINAL AS NITISH NILENDA WINS PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT

The final of the ICC U19 Men’s World Cup Asia Division 2 is being played in Bangkok today.  Hong Kong, China were facing Oman at TCG. Both teams qualified from Group B and Oman beat Hong Kong, China by 53 runs at AIT in the earlier match.

Oman have won the ICC U19 Men’s World Cup Division 1 as they comfortably defeated Hong Kong, China by 100 runs as they were dominant for almost the whole day and player of the tournament Nitish Nadendla hit a brilliant 50 from 34 balls to put them back on top in a total of 249 for 5. Saumya Sampat added three wickets to his earlier innings of 48 to win player of the match.

Hong Kong, China had won the three matches they have played at TCG and Oman have only played at AIT. Oman have won the toss and elected to bat. Hong Kong, China and Oman both won their semi-finals when batting first with the match at TCG a high-scoring affair.

Oman opener Gaurav Dinesh hit two boundaries in the first over but Daniel Mapp bowled Dinesh with a beauty as Oman lost their first wicket on 15 in the 5th over. Rishan Shah was on and looking to add to his 10 wickets and we had the first over of spin from Shayan Puri as Oman were 32 for 1 after 10 overs.

Oman were content to accumulate with Jeet Shah now on 20 out of a total of 47 for 1 in 15 overs. Leg-spinner Harry Hodgson was on so we have the two young Hong Kong, China spinners bowling in tandem once more.

The Oman 50 was up in the 17th over and the scoring rate was sedate as the spinners were bowling well as Oman were 58 for 1 in 20 overs. Jeet Shah and Saumya Sampat completed the fifty partnership for the second wicket and Mapp was back in the search for a wicket but Oman had moved on to 80 for 1 after 25 overs.

Oman finally got to left-arm spinner Shayan Puri in his last over as he was hit for boundaries by both batsmen. The 100 was up in the 28th over and Hong Kong, China wee beginning to flag in the field. The partnership was now over 100 as Oman were 116 for 1 as 36 came from the last five overs.

Hong Kong, China had got both leg-spinners bowling and it was Arya Panjwani who made the breakthrough as he got Saumya lbw for 48 but Jeet Shah completed his 50 in 97 balls.Panjwani took is second wicket as he bowled Aneek Chakrovarty for 2 on 127 for 3 and Shah’s long innings was finally over as he was lbw to Hodgson the other leg-spinner for 50 with 6 fours as Oman slipped to 131 for 4 after 35 overs. Captain Rahul Habibulla became Hodgson’s second  wicket as the two leg-spinners had shared four wickets which had fallen in the space of 22 runs.

Hodgson finished with figures of 2 for 45 after Hong Kong, China had fought back strongly. Oman were 162 for 5 with 10 overs left with Nitish Nadendla at the crease who is the only man with two player of the match awards so far.

Nitish and Rohan have both hit two boundaries in a 50 partnership for the sixth wicket. Nitish had scored runs down the order in almost every match and he hit the first six of the match as Oman were past 200 with four overs left.

Oman made the highest total of the tournament and Nitish completed a rapid 50 from 34 balls with 5 fours and a six and Rohan finished on 49 from 53 balls with 5 fours. The sixth wicket partnership was 104 as Oman reached 249 for 5. Hong Kong, China needed a rate of exactly five runs an over to win.

Hong Kong, China wanted a solid start if they had a chance of making their target but Taran who had batted throughout the 50 overs in the semi-final was caught at mid-on off Varshieth Dinesh for 4. Hong Kong, China were 11 for 1 and worse was to follow as Shiv Mathur who had scored 150 runs in the tournament was caught behind for 4 off Puladith Ralalage to leave the score on 17 for 2.

Arya Panjwani and Aarez Dar were settling down and took the total to 44 when Arya was bowled by Saumya Sampat for 15 and the fourth wicket fell on 45 when Khrish Butani was lbw to Arya Sampat for 0.

Hong Kong, China posted their 50 in the 11th over but the spinners with a wicket each were bowling tightly and Hong Kong, China were 54 for 4 in 15 overs. Oman took their fifth wicket when off-spinner Saumya Sampat bowled Harry Hodgson for 4 and Hong Kong, China were struggling at 70 for 5 after 20 overs.

The left-arm wrist-sinner Prathiesh Ramesh claimed the next wicket as Aarez Dar fell for 28 as Hong Kong, China were six wickets down for 76. Hong Kong, China reached 85 for 6:after 25:overs. Remarkably Oman had also scored 85 runs at the halfway mark but they had only lost one wicket.

After 30 overs Hong Kong, China were 98 for 6 with Matthew Clayton on 28. Hong Kong, China’s 100 was up in the 31st overs as Oman’s back up spinners are also bowling steadily but the task is getting harder by the over for the batting side.

Daniel Mapp’s stoic effort has ended on 9 from 36 balls as he was bowled by Gaurav Dinesh so all six of Oman’s bowlers so far had taken wickets as Hong Kong, China were 109 for 7 in 35 overs. With 10 overs left they were 125 for 7 needing another 125 to win. Clayton was on 39 and Rishan Shah on 10.

Matthew Clayton reached his 50 from 87 balls with 3 fours but was bowled by Saumya Sampat who took his third wicket to finish with 3 for 25 to go with his 48. Hong Kong, China were 143 for 8 with three overs left.

Rohan Ramachandran was brought on to bowl the 50th over and took a wicket with his first ball as he bowled Shah for 18. Oman had restricted Hong Kong, China to 149 for 9 and won by a convincing 100 runs. Oman have won the ICC U19 Men’s Asia World Cup Asia Division 2 Qualifier and Saumya Sompat was named player of the match.

Oman’s Nitish Nadendla hit a brilliant 50 today and was awarded player of the tournament. Malaysia’s Mohammad Akram was batter of the tournament and Janath Herathliyanage from Kuwait was bowler of the tournament.