Nepal qualifies for ICC U19 Cricket World Cup
Nepal became the sixteenth and final side to qualify for next year's ICC U19 Cricket World Cup (CWC) in Sri Lanka when they won the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) U19 Cup in Kathmandu on Saturday
Brian Murgatroyd
20-Nov-2005
Nepal became the sixteenth and final side to qualify for next year's ICC U19 Cricket World Cup (CWC) in Sri Lanka when they won the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) U19 Cup in Kathmandu on Saturday.
The hosts beat Malaysia by seven wickets in the final after overcoming Bahrain and Brunei in the group stages, Singapore in the quarter-finals and Kuwait in the semi-finals.
It means Nepal will join Ireland, Namibia, Scotland, Uganda and the USA as the Associate countries taking part in the tournament alongside the 10 ICC Full Members.
It will be Nepal's fourth time at the ICC U19 CWC after appearances in 2000, 2002 and 2004.
In 2000, in Sri Lanka, washed out matches against South Africa and Pakistan and a victory over Kenya propelled them into the Super League stage of the tournament, where they were eliminated after losses against India, Sri Lanka and England.
Two years later, in New Zealand, they failed to reach the same stage only on net run-rate after a loss to England and wins over Pakistan and Papua New Guinea (PNG). That meant they took part in the Plate Championship, losing in the final to Zimbabwe after beating Namibia, Scotland, Canada and Bangladesh.
In Bangladesh in 2004 Nepal again missed out on a place in the Super League stages on net run-rate after losing to England but beating South Africa and Uganda. In the Plate Championship they beat PNG but lost to Scotland and Australia.
The 2006 tournament runs from February 5 - 19 and is spread around five venues in Colombo.
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
| Pakistan | West Indies | India | England |
| New Zealand | South Africa | Sri Lanka | Zimbabwe |
| Bangladesh | Australia | Scotland | Ireland |
| Uganda | USA | Namibia | Nepal |
| Date | Match | Venue |
| January, 2005 | ||
| Tuesday, 31 | Teams arrive in Colombo | |
| February, 2005 | ||
| Wednesday, 1 | Practice matches | |
| Thursday, 2 | Practice matches | |
| Friday, 3 | Practice matches | |
| Saturday, 4 | Administration/Opening Ceremony | |
| Sunday, 5 | Group A: New Zealand v Bangladesh (A2 v A3) | P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo |
| Group B: South Africa v Australia (B2 v B3) | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Group C: Scotland v Sri Lanka (C2 v C3) | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo | |
| Group D: Zimbabwe v Ireland (D2 v D3) | Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Monday, 6 | Group A: Pakistan v Uganda (A1 v A4) | P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo |
| Group B: West Indies v USA (B1 v B4) | Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Group C: India v Namibia (C1 v C4) | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo | |
| Group D: England v Nepal (D1 v D4) | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Tuesday, 7 | Group A: New Zealand v Uganda (A1 v A4) | Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo |
| Group B: South Africa v USA (B2 v B4) | P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo | |
| Group C: Sri Lanka v Namibia (C2 v C4) | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo | |
| Group D: Zimbabwe v Nepal (D2 v D4) | Colombo Cricket Club Ground | |
| Wednesday, 8 | Group A: Pakistan v Bangladesh (A1 v A3) | Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo |
| Group B: West Indies v Australia (B1 v B3) | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Group C: India v Scotland (C1 v C3) | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo | |
| Group D: England v Ireland (D1 v D3) | Colombo Cricket Club Ground | |
| Thursday, 9 | Group A: Bangladesh v Uganda (A3 v A4) | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo |
| Group B: Australia v USA (B3 v B4) | P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo | |
| Group C: Scotland v Namibia (C3 v C4) | Colombo Cricket Club Ground | |
| Group D: Ireland v Nepal (D3 v D4) | Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Friday, 10 | Group A: Pakistan v New Zealand (A1 v A2) | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo |
| Group B: West Indies v South Africa (B1 v B2) | P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo | |
| Group C: India v Sri Lanka (C1 v C2) | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo | |
| Group D: England v Zimbabwe (D1 v D2) | Colombo Cricket Club Ground | |
| Saturday, 11 | Super League quarter-final 1 (A1 v D2) | P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo |
| Super League quarter-final 2 (C1 v B2) | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo/SSC | |
| Super League quarter-final 3 (D1 v A2) | Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Super League quarter-final 4 (B1 v C2) | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo/SSC | |
| Sunday, 12 | Rest Day | |
| Monday, 13 | Reserve-day Super League quarter-finals | |
| Tuesday, 14 | Plate Championship quarter-final 1 (A3 v D4) | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo |
| Plate Championship quarter-final 2 (C3 v B4) | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Plate Championship quarter-final 3 (D3 v A4) | P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo | |
| Plate Championship quarter-final 4 (B3 v C4) | Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Wednesday, 15 | Super League semi-final 1 - Winners QF1 1 v Winner QF2 | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo |
| Super League play-off semi-final 1 - Losers QF1 v Loser QF2 | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Plate Championship semi-final 1 - Winners QF1 v Winner QF2 | P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo | |
| Plate Championship play-off semi-final 1: Losers QF1 v Loser QF2 | Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Thursday, 16 | Plate Championship semi-final 2 - Winners QF3 v Winner QF4 | Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo |
| Super League play-off semi-final 2 - Losers QF3 v Loser QF4 | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Reserve day - Super League semi-final 1 | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo | |
| Reserve day - Plate Championship semi-final 1 | P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo | |
| Friday, 17 | Super League semi-final 2: Winners QF3 v QF4 | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo |
| Reserve day - Plate Championship semi-final 2 | Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Plate Championship play-off semi-final 2: Loser QF3 v Loser QF4 | P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo | |
| Saturday, 18 | Plate Championship Final | P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo |
| Reserve day - Super League semi-final 2 | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo | |
| Super League play-off Final: winners play-off SF1 v play-off SF2 | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Plate Championship play-off Final: winners play-off SF1 v play-off SF2 | Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo | |
| Sunday, 19 | Super League Final | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo |
| Reserve day - Plate Championship Final | P Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo | |
| Monday, 20 | Reserve day - Super League Final | R Premadasa Stadium, Khettarama, Colombo |
- The top 2 teams from each of the four groups will qualify for the Super League and will play-off against each other in quarter-finals. The bottom 2 teams from each of the four groups will qualify to play in the Plate Championship and will also play-off against each other in quarter finals.
- The winners of the Super League quarter-finals will qualify for the Super League semi-finals. The losers of the Super League quarter-finals will progress to the Super League play-offs. The winners of the Plate Championship quarter-finals will qualify for the Plate Championship semi-finals. The losers of the Plate Championship quarter-finals will progress to the Plate Championship play-offs.