Region No 1 (Biratnagar) and Region No 4 (Bhairahawa) made winning starts in the Wai Wai Women’s U-19 National Cricket Tournament on Wednesday.
As the matches of Group B of the tournament began on Wednesday at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Biratnagar edged past Region No 6 (Baitadi) by 29 runs while Bhairahawa thrashed Region No 8 (Pokhara) by eight wickets. Region No 7 (Janakpur) and Region No 5 (Nepalgunj) have already reached the semifinals from Group A.
Sabnam Rai of Biratnagar bowls against Baitadi
Biratnagar elected to bat and put up 108/8 in the allotted 25 overs. In reply, Baitadi was all out for 79 runs in 18 overs.
Captain Sanjhana Budhathoki scored 25 runs off 39 balls for Biratnagar while Roma Thapa added 21 runs off 32 balls. Likewise, opener Kajol Shrestha (15 runs off 25 balls) and Roshana Rai (12 runs off 26 balls) chipped in to put up a defendable total. Baitadi bowlers conceded 30 runs as extras, which later proved costly for the team.
Anjali Chand, Kabita Kunwar and Hema Air took two wickets each for Baitadi while Sonu Khadka and Chetana Bohara claimed a wicket each.
In the run-chase, only Sonu Khadka (25 runs off 34 balls) and Anjali Chand (13 runs off 14 balls) were able to offer some resistance to Biratnagar’s bowling attack as Baitadi slumped to a 29-run defeat. Sangita Rai, Sapana Shrestha and Yanji Sherpa claimed two wickets each while Shabnam Rai took one wicket. Three batswomen of Baitadi fell short of the crease.
Biratnagar captain Sanjhana Budhathoki was adjudged the player of the match.
In the second match of the day, Pokhara elected to bat but was all out for a meager 68 runs in 20.3 overs. Sushila Gurung was the highest scorer for Pokhara with 12 runs off 23 balls. Soniya Paudel claimed five wickets for Bhairahawa while Barsha Rana claimed three to skittle Pokhara for a low score. Indu Berma took one wicket.
Had Bhairahawa not given away 24 runs as extras, Pokhara would have suffered a more humiliating defeat.
In reply, Pratiksha Basyal scored an unbeaten 29 runs off 36 balls and Aaksha Gurung remained unbeaten on 10 runs off 13 balls to seal an eight-wicket victory in 12.2 overs. Aarya Aryal and Prabha Nepali claimed a wicket each for Pokhara.
Soniya Paudel was adjudged the player of the match for her brilliant bowling.
Pokhara will take on Biratnagar on Thursday while Bhairahawa will lock horns with Baitadi at the TU Cricket Ground.