Nepal APF Club won the title of the Women’s National Cricket Selection Tournament here at the Tribhuvan University Stadium today.

The departmental side defeated Eastern Development Region by 10 runs in the rain-affected final match which was reduced to 10-overs-a-side due to wet outfield. Batting first, Nepal APF Club posted a total of 64-1 before restricting Eastern Region to 54-5.

After losing opener Jyoti Pandey (eight) with 15 runs on the board, Sita Rana Magar and Sarita Magar added 49 runs for the unbroken second wicket partnership. Rana Magar remained unbeaten on 29 off 28 balls hitting a four, while Magar struck three boundaries in her 18-ball 22 not out. Kabita Gautam was the lone successful Eastern Region bowler and took 1-9 from two overs.

In reply, Eastern Region top order batters faltered against disciplined APF attack. Kajol Shrestha (six), Aniradha Chaudhary (eight) and Mamta Chaudhary (six) were out cheaply. Eastern batters failed to build meaningful partnerships and only two of them scored in double figures. Skipper Rubina Chhetri top scored for the team with 15-ball 16, while Rashmi Sharma scored run-a-ball 12. Karuna Bhandari and Sarita Magar took one wicket each, while APF fields affected three run outs.

Sarita Magar of APF was named the player-of-the-match and she also won the player-of-the-tournament award and Rs 10,000. Laxmi Chaudhary of Mid-western Region was declared the best batswoman, while Santoshi Chaudhary and Sabnam Rai of Eastern Region were named the best bowler and fielder respectively. They got Rs 5,000 each.

Along with the trophy, the tournament winners APF received Rs 100,000, while Eastern Region got Rs 50,000. National Sports Council Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista handed over the prizes to the winners. The NSC organised the tournament in the absence of Cricket Association of Nepal, which has been suspended by the International Cricket Council in the issues related to governance — government’s interference and unfair elections.