Prime Minister's Cup Lumbini Province Women's Qualifying Cricket
Dang has become the champion in the Prime Minister's Cup Lumbini provincial women's selection T-20 cricket tournament. Dang won the final of the qualifying tournament by defeating Banke by 4 wickets.
In the final match organized by the Lumbini Pradesh Cricket Association at the Deukhuri International Cricket Stadium in Lamhi on Monday, Dang won the final by remaining undefeated in the competition. After winning the
toss, Banke, who batted first, scored only 85 runs, losing 7 wickets in the scheduled 20 overs. After the opening batsman did not get going, Banke's players had to struggle to score runs. Captain Manisha Rana tried to lift the team by making 18 unbeaten runs.
Banke's Sushmita Bajgai contributed 12 runs with 1 sixes, Yakkan Pun Magar 9, Ashika Vishwakarma 11, Swastika Bajgai 6, Suraksha Pun Magar 5, Aisa Shahi 4 unbeaten and Ranju Shrestha 2 runs.
Banke's team was under pressure after Asna Chaudhary of Dang bowled Ranju Shrestha in the last ball of the second over to reduce Banke to a low score. In bowling, Dang's Anita Chaudhary, Asna Chaudhary and Madhu DC took 2 wickets each. Supriya Budha Magar got 1 wicket.
Chasing a medium target of 86 runs, Dang had to fight till the last over to win. GM Saraswati won by playing captaincy for Dang who completed the target with the loss of 6 wickets in 19.2 overs. Saraswati, who played undefeated in all the four matches played in the qualifying tournament, contributed a half-century of 51 runs in 61 balls with 9 fours in the final as well.
Madhu DC scored 14 runs, Anita Chaudhary scored 5 runs and Smriti Magar scored 4 unbeaten runs. Renu Periyar and captain Saraswati GM scored 55 runs in 12.2 overs to lift the Dang team, which was under pressure after losing two consecutive wickets, and the team came close to victory.
Banke's Swastika Bajgain took 3 wickets with 14 runs in 4 overs. In the same way, Sakarana Pun took 2 wickets while Suraksha Pun took 1 wicket. Saraswati, who played an important role in winning Dang in the tournament, became the GM player of the final. Kailash Roka Magar, Secretary of Lumbini Pradesh Cricket Association informed that shields were given to the winning and runner-up teams.
Banke defeated Rupandehiye by 9 runs and Dang defeated Nawalparasi by 79 runs to reach the final. Women's teams from Lumbini's Dang, Banke, Bardia, Palpa, Rupandehi and Nawalparasi participated in the qualifying competition. Roka Magar said that the team of Lumbini province will be prepared for the Prime Minister's Cup from the players who have performed well in the qualifying competition held from 25th of January with the participation of 6 districts of Lumbini.
The names of 18 people including 4 alternates will be announced from Lumbini. He informed that 14 players and 3 officials are ready to go to the tournament. The Prime Minister's Cup Women's Qualifying T20 Cricket Tournament will be held at the Phapla Cricket Ground in Dhangadhi from Tuesday.
Organized by the National Sports Council, coordinated by the Nepal Cricket Association and with the technical support of the Far West Province Cricket Association, 8 teams including seven provinces and one departmental team APF are competing in the tournament.
