Nepal booked its place in the Plate Championship final of the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia on Tuesday with a thrilling four-run victory over Namibia at Johor Cricket Academy.

Namibia was set a target of 144 runs to win after the game had been reduced to 34 overs a side due to rain early in the day. And the Africans almost got there with Raymond van Schoor (48) and Louis van der Westhuizen (33) doing most of the good work.

But this is a highly polished and accomplished Nepal side, particularly in the bowling and fielding departments and, as usual, the reigning Plate champion did not give much away to the batting side. Captain and all-rounder Paras Khadka, having earlier scored 44 with the bat, added two wickets with the ball and as the game went into the final stages, the pressure built on the Namibians.

Raj Shreestha broke a crucial 35-run partnership between van Schoor and Keady Strauss in the dying moments of the game and with 16 runs needed off eight balls, the lower order was not quite up to the task despite the best efforts of Gert Coetzee, who scored an unbeaten nine from four balls.

Earlier, Nepal made 143-8 in 34 overs with Khadka in fine form but Sean Silver (3-20) and Strauss (2-25) kept a lid on it for Namibia.

Nepal will now face the winner of the West Indies and Papua New Guinea, who play in the other semi-final tomorrow at MPTI, Johor. That Plate Championship final will take place at Bayuemas in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

In the other game of the day, Zimbabwe exacted revenge on Malaysia for a shock defeat earlier in the tournament by beating the host by 44 runs in the Plate Championship play-off semi-final at MPTI, Johor.

With that game also reduced to 34 overs, Daniel Landman (45 not out), Peter Moor (37) and Solomon Mire (36) made sure Zimbabwe got to a formidable total of 186-6.

In reply Aminudin Ramly batted beautifully for his 70 but wickets kept falling at the other end and Malaysia was all out for 142 with Edzai Jaure (3-39) the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers.