Nepal beat Uganda by one wicket at Women's Day Cup

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Mar. 10: Nepal secured a thrilling 1-wicket victory over host Uganda in the Women's Day Cup Twenty20 Series in Entebbe on Sunday, ending the Nepali women's nine-match losing streak. 

Following a win against the UAE in Sri Lanka on July 19, 2024, the Nepali national women's team had experienced a series of defeats.

U-19 skipper Puja Mahato excelled with both bat and ball, leading Nepal to their first victory on the African continent. Her player of the match performance include three-wicket haul and 16 runs contribution.

Winning the toss at the Entebbe Cricket Oval, Nepal chose to invite Uganda to bat first and managed to restrict them to a modest total of 75 runs. In pursuit of the 76-run target, Nepal successfully chased it down in 19.5 overs, losing nine wickets in the process.

Sana Praveen, making her debut for Nepal, was the top scorer, contributing 17 runs off 36 balls. She became the 38th player to debut for the Nepali women's national team. With an impressive performance in the U-19 squad, Sana earned her place in the national team. 

Puja also made significant contributions with the bat, scoring 16 runs off 29 balls. Former captain Rubia Chhetry added 10 runs, making her one of the three players to reach double digits for Nepal. Ishwori Bist scored 3 runs, while Riya Sharma managed 4.

For Uganda, Janet Mbabazi claimed three wickets, and Sarah Walaza took two wickets against Nepal. 

Earlier in the match, Immaculate Nakisuuyi top-scored for Uganda with a patient knock of 22 runs off 40 balls, which included three boundaries. Malisa Ariokot contributed 11 runs off 24 deliveries, while Stephanie Nampiina added 14 runs from 25 balls.

Before her batting contributions, Puja also shone with the ball, being the standout bowler for Nepal with a three-wicket haul. Indu Barma also made an impact, taking two wickets.

Uganda started the series with a win over Hong Kong, while Nepal lost their opener against Namibia on Saturday. Nepal is set to face Hong Kong on Monday.