Mahika Gaur takes five as UAE U19s bowl Nepal out for just eight

Age-group team continue their irresistible start to T20 World Cup qualifying in Malaysia

File photo of UAE's Mahika Gaur bowling against Malaysia in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup qualifier at the ICC Academy in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The UAE’s dominance at the start of the Women’s U19 T20 World Cup Qualifier continued as they bowled Nepal out for just eight in their second match in Malaysia.

Mahika Gaur took five wickets as the Nepalese side were dismissed within 49 balls. Gaur finished with figures of 5-2 from her four overs.

The national team took just seven balls to complete a 10-wicket win.

A day earlier, they had opened their account in the competition by thrashing Bhutan by a massive 160 runs.

Gaur thrived in that game, too. So far in the competition, the left-arm quick bowler has sent down five maidens in the eight overs she has bowled, and picked up five wickets for seven runs.

Indhuja Nandakumar shared the new ball against Nepal, and took 3-6 in the rout.

The six-team competition carries with it a place in the first U19 Women's T20 World Cup, which will take place in South Africa from January 2023, having been postponed from 2021 due to Covid.

It will act as a curtain-raiser for the senior Women's T20 World Cup, which will also be hosted by South Africa in February 2023. UAE hope to qualify for both.