Bagmati dent Madhesh hopes, APF edge Koshi

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 11: Bagmati Province dealt a blow to Madhesh Province’s final ambitions, while APF Club kept their chances alive with a narrow win over Koshi Province in the Men’s PM Cup on Friday.

In Janakpur, Bagmati rode on a five‑wicket haul from Pratis GC to secure a 35‑run victory. Chasing 209, Madhesh were dismissed for 173 in 34.3 overs, with opener Mayan Yadav top‑scoring on 40. 

Mohammad Aadil Alam (27), captain Anil Sah (26), Bishal Shusling (21), Md Samir (16) and Abhisekh Tiwari (10) offered support, but no other batter reached double figures.

Pratis GC finished with 5 for 55 from 9.3 overs, while Rijan Dhakal added two wickets. 

Earlier, Bagmati were bowled out for 208 in 48.4 overs, with Uttam Magar making 44, captain Sandeep Lamichhane 36 and Ringzin Lama 29. 

For Madhesh, Pawan Sarraf claimed three wickets, while Alam and Ranjit Kumar took two apiece.

After seven matches, Madhesh sit fourth with nine points. 

Bagmati, with eight points from eight games, are fifth. Even with one match left, Bagmati’s chances of reaching the final are slim.

APF edge Koshi

In Birgunj, APF scraped past bottom‑placed Koshi by five runs. The win lifted APF to nine points from eight matches, keeping them in contention. 

Koshi, meanwhile, slumped to their seventh straight defeat and remain last with just one point.

Chasing 226, Koshi were bowled out for 220 in 49.5 overs. Openers Suman Shrestha (65) and Ankit Subedi (72) put on 122 for the first wicket, but once Subedi fell to Avishek Gautam, the innings collapsed. 

Rohan Shah made 32 and Ashish Magar 17, but the rest failed to reach double figures. 

Gautam starred with 4 for 41 from 10 overs, while captain Rohit Paudel added two wickets.

Earlier, APF were dismissed for 225 in 47.5 overs at the Ram Janaki Multipurpose Stadium. 

They had slumped to 15 for 2 after both openers fell cheaply, and Paudel was run out for 20. At 51 for 4, the innings looked in trouble before Sundeep Jora (72) and Sumit Maharjan (57) rebuilt with a crucial fifth‑wicket stand.  Amar Routela added an unbeaten 27. For Koshi, Sujan Thapaliya took three wickets, with Bipin Mahato and Dipesh Kandel claiming two apiece.

Jay Trophy expanded

Meanwhile, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has expanded the Jay Trophy Men’s Elite Cup to six teams. 

Spokesperson Chhumbi Lama said in a press release that from next season, the top six sides from the Men’s Prime Minister’s Cup one‑day national tournament will qualify. 

Previously, only the top four were eligible. The Jay Trophy remains Nepal’s only multi‑day cricket competition.