Nepal crowned champions of ACC Men's U16 East Zone Cup 2025 after thrilling win over Singapore

Nepal emerged as the champions of the ACC Men's U16 East Zone Cup 2025 after a nail-biting 2-wicket win over Singapore in the final held at YSD UKM Oval, Bangi.

This marks Nepal’s fourth title, having previously won in 2017, 2019, and 2023 as ACC U16 Eastern Region Tournament.

Singapore who decided to bat first after winning the toss were bowled out for just 113 runs in 40.5 overs. Austin Arun top-scored with 23, while Riaan Naik chipped in with 15. The last two batters added some useful runs, helping the team reach a three-figure total.

Nepal's bowlers put on a solid show. Abhay Yadav and Sushil Rawal both took three wickets each. Shubham Khanal picked up two, and Bipin Sharma claimed one.

Chasing a modest target, Nepal's batting too had its share of drama. After a steady start at 39/1, they suddenly found themselves in deep trouble at 58/5. It looked like Singapore might pull off a stunning upset.

However, a crucial 33-run partnership between Joy Thapa and Shubham Khanal steadied the innings. Khanal departed for 18 and Nepal were down to 92/8, requiring 22 more runs. Joy Thapa held his nerve, remained unbeaten on 24 and guided Nepal to victory, with support from Abhay Yadav, who finished the match with a boundary and scored 10 runs in total. Nepal chased down the target in 29 overs, losing 8 wickets.

Earlier, Shiwansh Bajgain scored a quick 20 and Prasiddha Jaisi added 17 runs. For Singapore, Kapish Venkatraman stood out with 4 wickets, while Yuvan Pandey took 2.

Nepal's win in the final capped off a dominant tournament where they remained unbeaten. In the group stage, they defeated Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, and Bhutan, and then overcame Malaysia in the semifinal.