Nepal continued their winning run in the ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier as they thumped Kuwait by 108 runs for their second victory in as many matches at the Sevens Stadium in Ajman, the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Nepal posted 130-8 from their 20 overs before bowling out Kuwait for just 22 runs inside 13 overs.

It was Kuwait’s second successive loss; they had lost their opening game against hosts United Arab Emirates by 106 runs on Wednesday. Nepal defeated Thailand by 67 runs in the opening game.

Puja Mahato top scored for Nepal with 34 runs off 38 balls, while opener Sana Praveen racked up 25 off 18 and Jyotsnika Marasini contributed 23 off 18.

Ayesha Iqbal Pewekar took two wickets for Kuwait.

In response, Nepal bowlers terrified the Kuwaiti batters from the first over, dismissing opener Pewekar and Candice Dias in the first over.

Nepal kept on rattling the wickets without showing mercy as six Kuwait batters departed without scoring.

Pewekar’s opening partner Zeefa Jilani provided the highest score for Kuwait with 12 runs off 17 balls.

Sarrah Jasvi, second highest scorer of the Kuwait innings, was not out on four.

Rachanna Chaudhary, who took a four-wicket haul against Thailand, picked two wickets in her two-over spell that featured a maiden and 11 dots.

Seema KC shone the brightest with the ball, pocketing two wickets without giving any runs in her magical two-over spell.

Mahato, Krishma Gurung, Manisha Upadhyay took a scalp each for Nepal.

Nepal now face an acid test against in-from and qualifier’s strongest side UAE in their next match on Saturday. And with only the group topper at the end of the double round-robin league winning their ticket to the 2025 ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, Nepal should beat the hosts in order to keep their hopes to reach their maiden World Cup on track.

Hosts UAE also maintained their perfect record with a 74-run victory against Thailand later at the same venue.

The UAE posted 155-2 after electing to bat first, riding on an unbeaten half-century from Rinitha Rajith. Rajith smashed four boundaries and three sixes in her aggressive 28-ball 54 knock. Emily Thomas smashed 41 runs off 46 balls.

In reply, the UAE bundled out Thailand for 81, with Dharnidharka, Al Maseera Jahangir and Mehak Thakur taking two wickets each.

Rajith is the third UAE batter to score a half-century in this competition. Lavanya Keny (77 not out off 57) and Samaira Dharnidharka (58 off 57) had scored fifties against Kuwait on Wednesday.

In contrast, no Nepali batters have been able to complete a half-century, which is alarming.

The 2025 ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 is set to be held in Malaysia.

India won the inaugural edition by defeating England by seven wickets in the final in Potchefstroom, South Africa in January last year.

The winners of the Asia Qualifier will join the other four teams who have already secured their tickets to the World Cup through regional qualifiers. Nigeria qualified from Africa, Samoa from East Asia Pacific and Scotland from Europe. The United States automatically qualified from the Americas region—and for a second time in a row—as they were the only team in the region to meet the criteria required to enter the qualification pathway.

The 10 full-members teams from the 2023 U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup—Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies—have already received direct entry.

Malaysia qualified as hosts.