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The ACC U19 Asia Cup 2024 witnessed an eventful match between Nepal and Bangladesh at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai on Sunday (December 1). While Bangladesh cruised to a comfortable five-wicket victory, the encounter garnered attention due to an unusual incident involving Nepal spinner Yuvraj Khatri.
Yuvraj Khatri’s stunning performance and unfortunate injury
Yuvraj delivered a stellar bowling performance for Nepal but he failed to stop Bangladesh from chasing down a paltry total of 141. He claimed four of the five wickets to fall in the Bangladesh innings, finishing with impressive figures of 4/23 in six overs. However, it was not just his bowling that caught the eye – his unique celebrations made headlines as well.
After dismissing Md Farid Hasan Faysal, Yuvraj mimicked South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi’s iconic celebration by taking off his right shoe and pretending to use it as a phone. The crowd and his teammates were visibly entertained.
Unfortunately, a few overs later, Yuvraj’s exuberant celebration turned disastrous. After trapping Md Rizan Hossan LBW, Yuvraj took off on a celebratory sprint, during which he twisted his left foot. The bowler immediately fell to the ground, grimacing in pain. Unable to continue, he was carried off the field on a teammate’s back, leaving fans concerned about his condition.
Here’s the video:
A twist of fate 🫣
When luck smiles and frowns at the same time 🤕 🙆♂️#SonySportsNetwork #AsiaCup #NewHomeOfAsiaCup pic.twitter.com/OmPn5KepPu
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) December 2, 2024
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Bangladesh dominate the run chase
The injury to Yuvraj marked a turning point in the match, but it did not affect the outcome significantly. Chasing 142, Bangladesh secured the victory with more than 21 overs to spare. The chase was smooth, with the batters displaying a composed approach despite the early strikes from Yuvraj.
Earlier in the match, Nepal struggled with the bat, managing only 141 runs before being bowled out in the 46th over. Bangladesh’s bowling unit delivered a collective effort, with six of their seven bowlers picking up at least one wicket.
For Nepal, opener Aakash Tripathi stood out as the top scorer, contributing 43 runs. Middle-order batters Uttam Magar and Abhisekh Tiwari added 29 runs each, but the rest of the lineup faltered, with seven batters scoring less than 10 runs.
The match highlighted both the dominance of Bangladesh in the U19 tournament and the resilience of Nepal’s bowling attack, particularly Yuvraj’s remarkable spell. However, his injury served as a reminder of the risks associated with overzealous celebrations.
