By a Staff Reporter
Province 1 knocked out Nepal APF by 8 wickets with 66 balls in spare to set the final date with Sudurpaschim Province.
Beginning with the bat, APF was clean-swept for 45 runs in 13.4 overs. Capitan Sita Rana Magar alone contributed in double figures for the losing side.
With Roma Thapa departing for a golden duck, Rekha Rawal left for a duck out. Jyoti Pandey 5, Indu Barma 7, Rajmati Airee 3, Mamta Chaudhary 4, Sarita Magar 1, Nary Thapa 2, Suman Bist 2, and Nisha Bhatt* added 2 runs to the tally.
Alisha Khadiya and Sangita Rai were the pick of Province 1’s bowlers taking 3-9 from 4 overs. Player of the match Sangita picked 2 maidens as well. Further, Sabnam Rai claimed 2 wickets from 2 overs expending 21 runs.
In return, Province 1 chased the winning target of 46 runs in 9 overs for the fall of 2 wickets. Openers Kajal Shrestha and Rubina Chhetry shared a 22 runs partnership for the fall of the first wicket. Kajal’s departure in 6.1 overs for 9 runs off 23 deliveries didn’t cost the team much.
Skipper Rubina top scored 20 runs off 23 deliveries with 3 fours to win the low-scoring match. Moreover, Lakita Rajbanshi contributed a run, and Apsari Begam* added 9 runs.
Nary Thapa took the lone wicket for APF.
The victory meant Province 1 will now take on Sudurpaschim Province in the grand finale of the National Women’s Cricket Tournament on Saturday. Earlier, Sudurpaschim outplayed Madhesh Province to advance to the final.
