Kalaiya, April 21

Nepal APF Club won the title of the Kalaiya Cricket League Women’s Twenty20 Tournament here at the Siddheshwor grounds today.

APF defeated Milan Cricket Academy of Jhapa by 56 runs in the final. Put into bat first, APF scored 120-9 in their allotted 20 overs before packing Milan for 65 runs in 19 overs.

APF made a brilliant start with openers Jyoti Pandey and Sita Rana Magar putting up 39 runs inside six overs. Magar was the first to go, caught by Sangita Rai off Sangam Rai, for 12 runs. Pandey then added another 26 runs for the second wicket with Sarita Magar (nine) to lay the foundation for the victory. Pandey top scored for the team with 31 off 49 balls that included three boundaries and that also earned her the player-of-the-match award.

Manta Chaudhary scored 16 off 10 balls hitting two boundaries, while Karuna Bhandari struck a four in her 18-ball 14. After the fall of Chaudhary in the 16th over, APF lost five wickets for 17 runs. Skipper Rubina Chhetry was the pick of the Milan bowlers taking 3-16, while Sangita Rai, Sabnam Rai and Nery Thapa claimed two wicket each.

In reply, Milan made a disastrous start and never recovered. The batters failed to build partnerships with the 18-run stand for the second wicket between skipper Chhetry and Roma Thapa being the highest. Thapa top scored for the team with 15 off 27 balls hitting two fours, while Muskan Parvin (10) was the only another batter to score in double figures. Chhetry contributed nine runs. Milan lost last eight wickets for just 31 runs.

APF skipper Binu Buda Magar used five bowlers and four of them claimed two wickets each, while the fielders affected two run outs. Karuna Bhandari returned with the figures of 2-7 from four overs, and she was ably supported by Rekha rawal (2-17), Sonu Khadka (2-11) and Sita Rana Magar (2-19).

APF’s Sita Rana Magar, who scored 71 runs and took eight wickets, was named the player of the tournament, while Sehnaz Praveen of RCW was declared the best batswoman for her 91 runs in the tournament. Milan Academy skipper Rubina Chhetry, who claimed 11 wickets, was adjudged the best bowler. A total of four teams took part in the tournament organised by Kalaiya Cricket Club.