Both the first day's matches in Janakpur and Birgunj have been canceled due to continuous rain since Saturday morning.
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The opening match of the Prime Minister's (PM) Cup Men's National Cricket Tournament has been disrupted due to continuous rain since Friday evening.
Due to continuous rain since Saturday morning, both the first day's matches in Janakpur and Birgunj have been canceled. The Nepal Cricket Association (CAN) has said that Saturday's opening match has been canceled due to continuous rain at the cricket ground of the proposed Ram Janaki Multi-Purpose International Stadium in Janakpur.
CAN was preparing to start the first match before 9 am after the inauguration. When the weather turned unfavorable, the inauguration of the PM Cricket Cup took place around 1 pm.
The rain started again soon after Madhesh Province's Sports and Social Welfare Minister Basant Kushwaha inaugurated the PM Cricket Cup in Janakpur. The first day's matches of the PM Cricket Cup were between Madhesh Pradesh and Koshi Pradesh in Janakpur and between Karnali Pradesh and Lumbini Pradesh at the Narayani Stadium in Birgunj. However, both matches have been cancelled due to rain.
Nepal Cricket Association Dhanusha President Shobha Kant Pandey said that Madhesh and Koshi Pradesh were tied at 1-1 due to the absence of the opening match due to rain. He also said that there is no match on the schedule for Sunday. The next match will be played only on Monday.
Under the PM Cricket Cup, a match will be played between Koshi and Lumbini Pradesh in Janakpur on Monday. PM Cricket Cup tournament director Akash Pandey said that due to continuous rain, all three pitches of the cricket ground at the Ram Janaki Stadium in Janakpur have been covered with tarpaulins. ‘Every effort has been made to protect the pitch and cricket ground from water,’ he said, ‘If the weather improves, the game will continue in Janakpur from Monday.’
A 7-over match was also played in Birgunj as the rain stopped in the morning. Karnali Province batted and scored 20 runs in seven overs. Karnali Province’s opener, Rabindra Shahi, scored 9 runs and another batsman, Sunil Dhamala, scored 7 runs. Lumbini Province’s bowler Sandesh Thapa conceded 12 runs in 4 overs, while Rajendra Bam bowled 3 overs and gave away 8 runs, including a maiden.
Lumbini had won the toss and decided to field. Before the 7-over match was over, the match in Birgunj was also cancelled due to rain, informed Subhash Jayaswal, treasurer of Nepal Cricket Association Madhesh Province.
The PM Cricket Cup will be inaugurated in Janakpur and concluded in Birgunj. 17 matches including the inauguration will be played at Janakpur's Ramjanaki Stadium, 19 including the final at Birgunj's Narayani Stadium, and 10 matches at Mulpani Cricket Ground. Seven provinces and three divisional teams Nepal Club, Nepal APF Club, and Tribhuvan Army Club will compete in the PM Cup.
The PM Cup is a one-day tournament of CAN that will run until Baisakh 3. The winning team of the PM Cup will receive a cash prize of Rs 1 million and the runner-up team will receive Rs 5 million.
