Rain dampens Nepal’s hopes of winning World Cup

The turf was wet and unfit for play after Nepal’s crucial Asia Qualifiers match against Afghanistan was called off due to heavy rain. Nepal and Afghanistan each earned seven points from their three victories in the group stage. Since only one side from the qualifying round could earn a spot, Afghanistan’s better net run rate of 4.8170 over Nepal’s 3.5764 helped them advance to the World Cup. The two teams were tied at six points and had already defeated Oman, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates.

Tragically, Nepal’s dreams of qualifying for their ninth U-19 World Cup have been shattered. A recent practice series versus Afghanistan demonstrated the team’s strong performance, but the crucial match was canceled, shattering their expectations. Nepal’s ambitions of competing in the 2026 World Cup will now have to wait as Afghanistan has advanced to compete in Namibia and Zimbabwe.