By a Staff Reporter
Kathmandu – Defending champions Province 1 have topped Group A in the PM Cup Women’s National T20 Championship underway in Dhangadhi. Province 1 achieved the feat after defeating Lumbini Province by 67 runs in their group-stage match on Tuesday.
Province 1, who opted to bat first after winning the toss, posted 114 runs in the allocated 20 overs losing three wickets. Apsari Begum of Province 1 topscored for the team with 44 runs off 37 balls that included one boundary and a six. Opener Kajal Shrestha scored 40 runs off 44 balls including four boundaries while Rubina Chhetri was run out on 15 runs. Saraswati Pun, Madhu DC and Nery Thapa of Lumbini Province took one wicket each.
Chasing a target of 115 runs, Lumbini managed to score 47 runs in 20 overs. Saraswati Pun and Nitu Bhandari of Lumbini scored nine runs each. Laxmi Chaudhary was run out on 8 runs. Rubina Chhetri of Province 1 took 3 wickets giving away 4 runs in four overs including one maiden over.
In the last match of Group A, Bagmati Province defeated Karnali Province by 79 runs. Bagmati Province, which opted to bat first after winning the toss, posted 130 runs in 20 overs losing three wickets. Opener Kanchan Shrestha topscored 47 runs off 61 balls. Divya Dhami of Karnali Province took three wickets in the match while Anjali Chhetri took two.
Chasing a target of 131 runs, Karnali were all out in 18.3 overs with just 51 runs on board. Bipasha Shahi and Aarati Bidari of Bagmati Province took three wickets each while Sony Pakhrin, Khushi Dangol and Kenuka Basnet bagged one wicket each.
Province 1 lead the points table with six points from three matches. They have made it to the semifinals as the Group leaders. Lumbini Province have also entered the semifinals as the runners-up with four points from two wins and a defeat in three matches. Bagmati Province finished third and Karnali remained bottom without any victory.
Group B features APF, Province 2, Gandaki Province and Sudur Paschim Province. The semifinals will be held on December 25 and the final is scheduled for December 26.
