Itahari, January 18

Madhesh Province defeated Lumbini Province by 16 runs and advanced to the semi-finals of the PM Cup Women's T20 National Cricket Tournament here at the Janata Cricket Part today.

Batting first, Madhesh posted 107-5 in their allotted 20 overs before restricting Lumbini for 91-5. With their second win in three matches, Madhesh finished second in Group B with four points.

Province-I finished as winners with maximum six points. Lumbini (two) and Karnali (zero) crashed out from group stage.

Madhesh will face Group A winners Sudurpashchim Province, who won all three matches in group stage, while Group B winners Province-I will take on Group A runners-up Nepal APF Club in the semi-final matches.

Bagmati, who beat already-eliminated Gandaki for their first win on Wednesday, finished third in Group A. Gandaki lost all three matches.

In the winners-take-all contest between the teams tied on two points, Madhesh recovered well to post a fighting total against Lumbini.

Madhesh were reduced to 27-3 in seven overs before Sana Praveen and Roji Kadari shared a 45-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Praveen and Saraswati Kumari then added 19 runs from the last 15 balls for the unbroken fifth wicket.

Player-of-the-match Praveen top scored with an unbeaten 46 off 64 balls to the ropes, while Kadari hit a four in her 19-ball 15. Maneesha Rana, Bivasna BC and Saraswati Pun took one wicket for Lumbini.

In reply, Lumbini failed to reach the target despite six batters scoring in double figures.

Ranju Shrestha and Madhu DC added 35 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket and both of them remained unbeaten 21. DC hit three boundaries in her 17-ball knock, while Shrestha struck two four in her 28-ball innings.

Opener Laxmi Chaudhary scored 12 runs, while Ashma Pulami Magar and skipper Saraswati GM contributed 11 each and Saraswati Pub scored 10. Bhumi Singh took two wickets for Madhesh, while Kabita Gautam bagged one.

In another match that carried no significance in the standing, Bagmati defeated Gandaki by 37 runs to sign off with a win. Bagmati posted 135-5 in their allotted 20 overs riding on half century from Kanchan Shrestha before Gandaki managed 98-5.

Player-of-the-match Shrestha struck nine boundaries in her 52-ball 56 to lead her team to a challenging total.

Skipper Asmina Karmacharya hit two fours in her unbeaten 16-ball 18, while Sony Pakhrin (13), Ashmita Kharel (12) and Helisha Gurung (11) contributed in double figures. Kusum Godar, Shristi Jaisi, Niruta GT and Seemana KC grabbed one wicket each for Gandaki.

In reply, Seemana KC and skipper Shristi Jaisi added 54 runs for the third wicket but they filed to avert their team's defeat.

A version of this article appears in the print on January 19, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.