Region No 5 (Nepalgunj) upset defending champion Region No 7 (Janakpur) by 45 runs in the opening day of the Wai Wai Women’s U-19 National Cricket Tournament on Sunday.
Nepalgunj elected to bat and was all out for 99 runs in 24.4 overs at the TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. In reply, Janakpur was all out for only 54 runs in 15.1 overs.
Nepalgunj got poor start and was at 14 for 6 in 5.3 overs. However, RekhaBC and Sabitri Chhetri played crucial knocks to rescue Nepalgunj. They put up a 76-run partnership for the seventh wicket. BC scored 41 runs off 64 balls while Chhetri added invaluable 27 runs off 48 balls. BC struck five boundaries. Five of Nepalgunj batswomen were out without scoring. Janakpur bowlers bowled 23 runs for extras.
Sabitri KC of Nepalgunj bats against Janakpur.
Rosi Kadari took three wickets while Mamta Chaudhary and Amrita Chaudhary claimed two wickets each for Janakpur.
Chasing a 100-run target, none of the Janakpur batswomen except Sarswoti Chaudhary showed resistance to the bowling attacks of Nepalgunj. Chaudhary remained unbeaten with 13 runs off 26 balls while rest of the others failed to reach a double-digit score. Had not Nepalgunj bowled 25 runs as extras, Janakpur would have to suffer more humiliating defeat.
Player-of-the-match Samana Pun dismissed four batswomen of Janakpur while Anu KC and Dimple Khadka claimed two wickets each.
Birgunj beats Kathmandu
In the opening match of the tournament, Region No 2 (Birgunj) defeated Region No 3 (Kathmandu) by four wickets.
Kathmandu elected to bat at the TU Cricket Ground and was all out for 98 runs in 25 overs. Sita Shrestha and Puja Ghimire took three wickets each for Birgunj while Puspa Aryal and Nirmala Pakuwal claimed two wickets each to restrict Kathmandu in a low total. Kanchan Shrestha (13 runs off 30 balls) and Rabina Bhandari (12 runs off six balls) were the highest contributors for Kathmandu. Kathmandu received 35 runs from extras.
As Santi Khatiwada and Sajani Shrestha shared two wickets each and Sangita Gauchan trapped Dibya Shirvastav run out, Birgunj was at 33/5 in 6.5 overs. However, Sita Shrestha scored unbeaten 45 runs off 41 balls and Nisha Giri garnered 12 runs off 45 balls to guide Birgunj to victory. They put up a 63-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Ashmita Kharel trapped Giri LBW in the third ball of the 21st over but Puja Ghimire (one run) remained unbeaten with the player-of-the-match Shrestha to seal the four-wicket victory. Birgunj victory became easier as Kathmandu gave away 24 runs as extras.