Bagmati, Karnali register their second win in low scoring matches on Day 5

Kathmandu, Jan. 18: Bagmati Province was able to defeat at least one of the departmental teams, the Tribhuwan Army Club, in the ongoing PM Cup Men’s National Cricket Tournament to register its second win in four matches.

Losing the opening match of the tournament against Nepal Police Club and the second one against Nepal APF Club, Bagmati was able to register its first win against Madhes on Tuesday. 

Surya Tamang shined once again for Bagmati as he took a five-wicket-haul on Wednesday to bowl out Army’s team at 97 in 27.1 overs. Tamang’s bowling stats against Madhes was a six-wicket-haul, including a hat-trick.

Tamang also had a chance to get his second hat-trick at Mulpani International Cricket Ground as he bowled Kushal Malla for a golden duck after sending Bhim Sharki back to the pavilion in the 17th over. However, he missed the third one. 

Basir Ahamad, Sandeep Rajali and Shahab Alam were the other victims of Tamang. Krijan Gurung bowled Army’s captain Binod Bhandari, who scored a century in the team’s first match against Madhes on Monday, when he was at 28 runs. Pratish GC and Rijan Dhakal took two wickets each for Bagmati.

Nevertheless, Bagmati struggled to chase the low target of 98 runs in 300 balls as five wickets fell until the 11th over when the team was at 54. Sompal Kami struck the stumps thrice to show the way outside to Ashuosh Ghiraiya, Rabin Joshi and Pratik Shrestha. Jitendra Mukhiya also bowled out Ishan Pandey and Ashok Poudel. Bagmati’s captain Rit Gautam was struck leg before by Shahab Alam before claiming the wicket of Bipin Acharya.

Acharya was the final wicket that Bagmati lost before winning the match in 22.1 overs. Pratish GC, who hit a half-century in the previous match, won the match with a six. He remained not out at 21 runs with Rijan Dhakal (0 runs off 5 balls) to take the team to 103 in the loss of seven wickets.

On the other hand, Karnali was able to defend a not-so-small target compared to the one posted by Army in another match of Day 5 held at Bhairahawa Cricket Ground.

In a match that started late due to bad weather, officials reduced the game to 45 overs each. Electing to field first, Lumbini Province was able to restrict Karnali at a score of 184 runs in the loss of nine wickets after playing all 45 overs.

Dinesh Adhikari, a right-arm medium pacer, and Dipendra Rawat, a middle-order batsman, were the ones who helped Karnali cross the 180-run-mark. While Adhikari scored a half-century, Rawat fell short of three runs for his 50 as he got caught behind the stumps in the 42nd over. Adhikari remained not out at 56 runs in 59 balls. 

While Lumbini’s winning chances were high as the target was chasable, its batting line-up crumbled in the chase. Seven batsmen, including five from the top and middle orders, scored in single digit for Lumbini.

It was thanks to the knock of 47 runs by Krishna Karki, who came in at seven, that helped Lumbini cross the 100-run-mark. After Karki’s departure, Lumbini was left at 106 for 8 in 35.3 overs. The final wicket for Lumbini was of Avishek Gautam’s in 41.2 overs.

Dinesh Adhikari, who was great with the bat, took three wickets for Karnali while Anuj Chanara and Dipendra Rawat claimed two each. Diwan Pun’s only wicket of the match was of Lumbini’s highest scorer Krishna Karki. After Day 5, Bagmati and Karnali are in the fourth and fifth position in the league table with APF as table topper.