Region No 2 Birgunj advanced into the final of the Wai Wai U-19 National Cricket Toiurnament with cent percent results in the league round of Group B.
Birgunj defeated Region No 1 Biratnagar by seven wickets in the last league match of the group B played at TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur to register its third straight victory en route to the final.
Winning the toss, Biratnagar opted to bat first and scored 213 runs losing eight wickets. Siddhant Lohani’s unbeaten 52 runs off 52 balls with five boundaries and a six guided the team for the huge total.
However, Biratnagar did not start the innings well as it lost the opening pair for the total of 10 runs on board. Hari Chaulagai and Suman Shrestha shared a 30-run partnership to bring the team on track.
Chaulagai was back to the pavilion with 20 runs while Shrestha was bowled on 28 runs. Lohani and Amit Dahal (26) shared a 52-run partnership for the eighth wicket to guide the team for the big total.
Jatta Shankar Sharraf grabbed two wickets while Jitendra Mukhiya, Bibek Dali, Naresh Raj Giri, Aakib Ansari shared a wicket each.
Birgunj successfully chased the target of 214 runs losing three wickets in 45.4 overs. Man-of-the-match Bijay Ghalan scored unbeaten 72 runs off 145 balls with seven boundaries.
Opener Hasim Ansari and Ghalan shared a 97-run partnership for the first wicket in 20.1 overs. Ansari was bowled by Siddhant Lohani on 49 runs off 44 balls with eight boundaries. Suraj Kurmi scored 43 runs off 45 balls while Shiva Tandukar scored 25 runs.
In another match played at Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk, Region No 3 Kathmandu beat Region No 8 Pokhara by four wickets.
Winning the toss, Pokhara opted to bat first and scored 137 runs in 43.4 overs losing all wickets. Akash Thapa scored 41 runs off 40 balls with seven boundaries while Amrit Shrestha scored 40 runs off 88 balls with three boundaries to guide the team for the modest total.
Bijay Gautam and Prajesh Bahadur Singh took three wickets while Jagat Chhetri grabbed two wickets.
Kathmandu successfully chased the target of 138 runs in 25.1 overs losing six wickets. Man-of-the-match Pawan Shrestha scored unbeaten 54 runs off 56 balls with six boundaries to guide the team for victory. Opener Ujjwal Thapa scored 25 runs off 17 balls with four boundaries.
Sushil Kandel grabbed three wickets while Amrit Shrestha, Govinda pradhan and Anil Gurung shared a wicket each for Pokhara.
Rest of the matches of the tournament will be resumed only after April 22 and the final will be played on April 26.