India U19 Star Raj Limbani Takes 7 Wickets In Asia Cup Match, Misses Irfan Pathan's World Record By A Whisker

Seam bowler Raj Limbani bowled an incisive spell to record the brilliant figures of 7/13 as India cruised to a 10-wicket victory over Nepal to clinch a semi-final berth in the U-19 Asia Cup cricket tournament in Dubai on Tuesday. After shooting out Nepal for just 52 runs in 22.1 overs, courtesy Limbani's superb performance, all-rounder Arshin Kulkarni (43 not out), kept the IPL scouts interested with five huge sixes to knock off the runs in just 7.1 overs. Having lost to arch-rivals Pakistan by eight wickets in an earlier game, India colts, led by Uday Saharan, needed to win their final league game to qualify for the knock-out stage and they absolutely dominated the proceedings against the boys from Himalayan nation.

Limbani's haul of seven wickets is the second-best bowling figures by an Indian in a U-19
ODI after Irfan Pathan's 9/16 against Bangladesh in 2003. Pathan's figures are also the world record in youth ODIs.

Raj Limbani achieves a remarkable milestone, scalping 7 wickets for just 13 runs in a stellar performance, delivering it in just 9.1 overs.#ACCMensU19AsiaCup #ACC pic.twitter.com/jXmbM6G7eC

Nepal were already out of contention after losing both their group league game but their worst was saved for the last with none of their players getting into double digits.

Limbani, the lanky 18-year-old right-armer from Baroda, who primarily bowls inswingers at mid 120s, didn't let any of the Nepalese batters settle down and pitched it up, getting sufficient movement.

However Limbani's 7/13 isn't the best effort by an Indian bowler in U-19 internationals as former pacer Irfan Pathan had astounding figures of 9/16 against Bangladesh in the Junior Asia Cup in Lahore, back in 2004.

The top scorer for Nepal was Hemant