Kabita Gautam gave an all-round performance to guide Nepal to a seven-wicket victory against China on Friday in its first match of the ACC U-19 Women’s Championship being held in Kuwait.
Gautam took three wickets giving away only 11 runs in her 5 overs and scored unbeaten 25 runs off 32 balls to seal the victory.
Nepal elected to field first at the Unity Ground and bowled out Chinafor 61 runs in 23.1 overs. Gautam caught Chinese opener Chen Huiya off Sonu Khadka’s bowling in the first ball of second over. Another Chinese opener Li Yangying (1 run) was run out in the fourth over as Gautam was superb on fielding.
China were 5 for 3 in 4.5 overs as Captain Rubina Chhetri trapped Zhou Caiyun (1 run) LBW. Ying Lili and Zhu Liya tried to anchor the Chinese innings and put up 29 runs partnership for the fourth wicket. However, Santoshi Chaudhary claimed the wicket of Lili (13 runs) and Sangeeta Gauchan bowled Liya when she was batting at 14 runs. Gauchan bowled Liu Jia (3 runs) and Shantoshi Chaudhary trapped Ding XiuXiu run-out.
Gautam took final three wickets to wrap up Chinese innings.
Chasing the small total,Nepalmet the target in 15.2 overs losing just three wickets.Nepallost their first wicket in the fifth over. Shilu Rijal (naught) was first Nepali batswomen to return pavilion. Ying Lili took the wicket of Rijal. Another Nepali opener Anuradha Chaudhary scored 12 runs before she was bowled by Chen Huiya in the second ball of the sixth over.
However, Indu Verma and Gautam played superb knocks to guideNepalto victory. Verma scored 16 runs off 22 balls before being bowled out by off-spinner Ding Xiuxiu.
Gautam remained unbeaten for 25 runs off 32 balls. Gautam hit three boundaries and Verma struck two boundaries.
