KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 10

Nepal APF Club thrashed Madhesh Province by seven wickets and advanced to the final of the Prime Minister's Cup National Cricket Tournament here at the TU Stadium today.

Put into bat first, Madhesh were bowled out for a paltry 122 runs in 31 overs before APF raced to 123-3 in 21.3 overs. APF will face either Tribhuvan Army Club or Nepal Police Club - who will clash in another semi-final match on Friday - in the championship match on Saturday.

Madhesh made a disastrous start losing openers Harishankar Shah and Santosh Karki with just 14 runs on the board, while it soon became 62-7 after top and middle order batsmen failed to build partnerships.

Rupesh Singh and Pradeep Paswan (three) gave some respectability to the total adding 28 runs for the last wicket. Singh remained unbeaten on 36 off 23 balls that included four boundaries and two sixes.

Opener Karki (20), Imran Sheik (16), Anil Sah (13), Mohammad Aadil Alam and Rajesh Yadav (10) scored in double figures but none of them could convert their innings into meaningful knocks. Kamal Singh Airee was the pick of the APF bowlers taking 4-27, while Bhuvan Karki (2-13) and Mousom Dhakal (2-40) shared four wickets between them. Kishore Mahato bagged a wicket.

In reply, APF openers Pradeep Airee and Aasif Sheikh made a flying start putting up 60 runs in 10 overs before the latter was bowled by Rajesh Yadav for 32-ball 25 that included five fours. Airee departed eight runs later after he scored 33 off 38 balls with the help of four boundaries and two sixes.

Lokesh Bam and Sumit Maharjan took team closer to victory before the later was caught at boundary line off Rupesh Singh. Maharjan hit two fours in his 20-ball 13. Bam and Sundeep Jora (six) completed the formality.

Bam top scored with runa-ball 35 not out. Rupesh Singh took 2-20 for Madhesh, while Rajesh Yadav bagged one wicket.

A version of this article appears in the print on November 11, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.