By a Staff Reporter
Kathmandu – Bagmati Province beat Karnali Province by 7 wickets to register the fourth consecutive win in an ongoing Wai Wai U19 National Cricket Tournament. With a win, Bagmati becomes the favorite to qualify for the finals.
Karnali’s Inning
Bagmati’s fast bowler Sakriya Karki claimed a 5-wicket haul to stop Karnali for 130 runs in 36.2 overs at TU Cricket Ground. A half-century innings from Karnali’s skipper Bipin Rawal was not enough to break Bagmati’s winning streak.
While Karnali’s middle-order batsman Suwash Ayer and lower-order batsmen Mohan BK and Anuj Chanara left the crease following a duck out, Opener Manish Thapa returned to the pavilion with 25 runs in a pocket.
Bipin collected the highest of 68 runs off 92 deliveries including 9 fours before returning to the dugout as a ninth wicket in 34.4 overs. Aawash Shah (4), Anirudh Kawar (11), Dinesh Adhikari (5), Sandip Shahi (1), Yunish Singh (6), and Ganesh Dadel contribued 1 run to the tally.
With Sakriya claiming 5, Ahamad Raza booked 3 wickets whereas Omkar Yadav and Abishek Koirala took a piece.
Bagmati’s Inning
In return, Bagmati chased the winning target of 131 runs in 30.1 overs with 7 wickets in hand. Lucky Kathayat and Ashok Paudel played half-century innings in Bagmati’s comfortable win over Karnali.
Opening with a bat, Sakshyam Bastakoti got bowled by Karnali’s pacer Anju Chanara for 2 runs in 6.2 overs. Lucky, who partnered with Sakshyam to begin the inning lasted till the end and collected 51 runs off 92 deliveries including 8 fours.
Uttam Magar faced 4 deliveries and rushed back to the dugout with a single run. Bagmati’s captain Ashok Paudel then stepped up to contribute the highest runs of 59 to the total. He smashed 7 fours off 64 balls before leaving the crease in 29.2 overs. Ashok and Lucky shared a partnership of 105 runs for the fall of third wicket.
Yogesh Bhat collected 2 runs off 4 deliveries to take the match to 130 all. Karnali’s Ganesh Dandel then gifted Bagmati a run with a wide ball to end the match in favor of Bagmati.
