Nepal U16 post 358 against Bhutan U16 after Raunak Shrivastav's ton

Nepal U16 put up a big score of 358/5 in 50 overs against Bhutan U16 in the ACC Men’s U16 East Zone Cup, with Raunak Shrivastav scoring a brilliant century.

Opting to bat first, Nepal had a shaky start, losing both openers cheaply. However, the early jitters were quickly forgotten as Raunak Shrivastav and Shiwansh Bajgain steadied the innings with a crucial 91-run partnership for the third wicket. Shiwansh looked in fine touch, scoring a fluent 54 before being run out.

Raunak, however, was in a league of his own. Showing maturity beyond his age, the young batter anchored the innings while maintaining an aggressive tempo. He scored 168 off just 132 deliveries with 16 boundaries and 6 sixes. Raunak who was dismissed for 88 in the previous game, capitalized against Bhutan.

He found a reliable partner in Joy Thapa, and together they piled on the runs. The duo added a mammoth 170-run stand, putting Nepal in a dominant position. Joy played a composed innings, remaining unbeaten on 61, while Sugam Budhathoki chipped in with a useful 35 in the middle overs.

By the end of their innings, Nepal had turned a nervous start into a batting masterclass, setting Bhutan a big target of 359.