Sudurpashchim fix final date with APF

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 25: It all came to net run rate when Sudurpashchim Province defeated Bagmati Province in the final game of the PM Women’s Cup’s Super 4 stage at the Dhangadhi-based Fapla Cricket Ground on Friday.

Host Sudurpashchim and Armed Police Force (APF) Club alongside Bagmati and Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) had entered the Super 4 as the second and first-placed teams of Group A and B respectively. 

As per the tournament fixtures, the top two teams from Group A and B would play one game each against each other in a league format with the top two teams, on a points basis, progressing to the final. 

Thus, Sudurpashchim faced TAC and Bagmati competed against APF on January 23 with the two departmental teams – TAC and APF – emerging victorious. On Friday, the two winning departmental teams were facing each other and the provincial teams on the other side. 

Therefore, the provincial teams had a chance for the final as the winning side could outdo the losing team of the departmental derby in net run rate. As only one of the provincial teams could capitalise on the chance, Sudurpashchim realised it defeating Bagmati by 30 runs.

Bagmati was able to restrict Sudurpashchim to 112/7 in the first inning. But with only two batters scoring for Bagmati, they were all out at 82 runs with two balls remaining in the 20-over game.

Opener Helisha Gurung had in-at-four Yashoda Bist to partner after non-striker Yashu Pandey and Bagmati’s skipper Kanchan Shrestha returned for a duck in the first two overs. At 1.2 overs, Bagmati were 5/2.  

Gurung and Bist then took Bagmati to over 50 runs with Bist (30 off 38) departing as the third wicket in 12.1 overs with the team at 55 runs. Gurung was the fifth wicket in 15.4 overs with Bagmati at 70 runs; after that, the other half fell with 12 runs added in whole.

Karishma Thapa and Kabita Kunwar bagged two wickets each for Sudur in the chase while Aashika Mahara and Ritu Kanoujiya took one each. There were four run-outs for Bagmati.

All-rounder Kanoujiya, the player of the match, was also the highest scorer for Sudur. In-at-four, she stayed not out at 34 off 44 as Sudur posted a target of 113 runs. 

Similarly, Manisha Upadhyaya and Sonu Khadka claimed three wickets each while Bipisha Shahi took one for Bagmati in the first inning.

Meanwhile, APF defeated Army by 69 runs in the other game of the Super 4 to be the only team to stay unbeaten until reaching the final. In the game reduced to 17-over each after a late start saw Army choosing to field first.

But Army could only send three APF batters back to the pavilion as Kabita Joshi (34 off 25) and skipper Indu Barma (18 off 19) stayed not out to post 115/3 on the board in 102 deliveries. The opening duo of Rajmati Airee (35 off 35) and Mamta Chaudhary (11 off 18) also gave the team a good start.

Rekha Rawal then took care of Army with the ball as she bagged four wickets in her four-over spell giving away only 11 runs; she also had a maiden over. Likewise, Sabnam Rai took two and Barma took one as Army got bundled out at 46 runs in the final delivery of the 17th over with the third run-out of the game. 

The failure to score more did not only cost Army the match but they also gave away the spot in the final to Sudurpashchim. Some more runs and Army would have stayed in second place despite the loss. 

The two finalists, APF and Sudurpashchim, who entered the Super 4 from Group B, will play on Saturday. In their previous group-stage encounter on January 18, APF won by 59 runs.