By a Staff Reporter
Kathmandu – Hosts Nepal were beaten by visitors Uganda by 12 runs in their first match of the women’s T20 series at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground on Monday. With this victory, Uganda have taken a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Nepal, chasing a target of 103 runs for victory, managed to score only 90 runs in the allotted 20 overs losing 9 wickets.
Nepal needed 26 runs from the last 12 balls. The hosts hopes of victory was effectively ended after it lost its vice captain Indu Berma in the first ball of the 19th over.
Berma was the top contributor for Nepal with 16 runs off 28 balls. Her innings included a boundary. None other Nepali batswoman performed well with the bat.
All three major batswomen of Nepal were run out in the game.
Opener Jyoti Pandey and Bindu Rawal were run out for just 6 and 12 runs respectively. Captain Rubina Chhetri was bowled out by Uganda’s Sara Akiteng in the 11th over while she managed to score just 9 runs.
Nepal were struggling at 44-4 in the 12 over after Apsari Begum suffered an LBW. The hosts’ victory seemed impossible after big hitter Kabita Joshi was caught by Sara in the 13 over with her personal score of 4 runs.
Roma Thapa was out for LBW in the 17th over as Nepal were struggling at 61-6.
Tailender Dolly Bhatta then scored 13 runs off 9 balls including 2 boundaries but she too was bowled out as Nepal’s hopes of victory started to fade.
Uganda’s Sara and Konsy Abeko took 2 wickets each while Rita Musalmani and Janet Mbabaji took one wicket apiece.
Earlier, Nepal invited Uganda to bat first at the TU Cricket Ground. The visitors scored 102 runs in 20 overs losing 5 wickets. Uganda’s Janet topscored 29 runs off 38 balls.
Nepal’s fast bowler Kabita Kunwar took two wickets followed by a wicket each by Rubina Chhetri, Kabita Joshi and Indu Berma.
