KATHMANDU, JANUARY 24

Bagmati Province and Lumbini Province shared points, while Sudurpashchim Province registered consolation victory in the PM Cup Men’s National Cricket Tournament here today.

At the Mulpani Cricket Ground, Bagmati posted 220-9 in their allotted 50 overs before Lumbini were all out 220 runs with two overs remaining to share points. Bagmati made it to the last four from as Group B winners with seven points, while Lumbini accumulated five points from four matches.

Defending champions Nepal Police Club have four points from three matches and they can overtake Lumbini with a win over Province-2, who were already out of the race and faced a three-wicket defeat at the hands of Sudurpashchim in the day’s another match.

Lumbini were cruising towards victory and they needed three runs from the last two overs with two wickets remaining. But Bipin Acharya had Jitendra Sahani caught behind by Aakash Thapa in the third ball of the penultimate over before Nandan Yadav and wicketkeeper Thapa combined to run Dipendra Rawat out in the sixth ball with scores tied at 220.

Prakash KC and skipper Krishna Karki contributed 41 runs each for Lumbini. KC struck five boundaries in his 72-ball knock, while Karki hit three boundaries and two sixes in his 44-ball stay at the crease. Saurav Khanal scored 77-ball 34 with the help of three fours and a six, whereas openers Sandeep Sunar (25) and Dev Khanal (26) also made valuable contribution with the bat.

Acharya returned with 4-30 from seven overs and he also earned the man-of-the-match award, while Gautam KC bagged two wickets.

Ramnaresh Giri, Tilak Bhandari and Ishan Pandey claimed one wicket each for Bagmati.

Earlier, Bagmati rode on half centuries from Aadil Khan and Ishan Pandey to post the challenging total.

Khan top scored with 55 off 87 balls that included five boundaries and three sixes, while Pandey struck four fours and two sixes in his 53- ball 51. Aakash Thapa scored 39 off 67 balls hitting four boundaries and a six, while Prithu Baskota contributed 38-ball 29 that included three fours and a six. Skipper Gyanendra Malla (14) and Nandan Yadav (11 not out) also scored in double figures for Bagmati.

Dipendra Rawat was the pick of the Lumbini bowlers taking 3-40 and he was ably supported by Krishna Karki (2-36) and Sandeep Sunar (2-39). Bikram Bhusal and Anil Kharel took one wicket each for Lumbini.

At the TU Stadium, Sudurpashchim defeated Province-2 by three wickets for their first victory in the fourth and final match. Batting first, Province-2 were bowled out for 195 runs in 42 overs before Sudurpashchim reached 196-7 with 102 balls to spare.

Hari Shankar Shah top scored for Province-1 with 60 off 73 balls with the help of seven boundaries, while Bibek Yadav struck two fours and three sixes in his 52-ball 41. Former national team opener Mehboob Alam hit two each fours and sixes in his 26-ball 23, while Rahul Pratap Singh (12) and Kumar Thapa (11 not out) contributed in double figures.

Sher Malla (3-35) and Narendra Saud (3-53) shared six wickets between them for Sudurpashchim.

Arun Airee bagged two wickets, while Hemant Dhami and Bhoj Raj Bhat pocketed one each.

In reply, Sanju Damai scored half century to lead Sudurpashchim to victory. Damai scored a quick fire 57 off 35 balls that included eight boundaries and two sixes. Skipper Khadak Bohora scored 43 off 73 balls hitting six fours, while Gajendra Bohora struck six boundaries in his 47-ball 39. Arun Airee scored 14- ball 19 hitting two fours and a six.

Out of the nine bowlers used by Province-2, Kumar Thapa was the pick of the lot taking 3-33, while Hari Shankar Shah claimed 2-37.

Bibek Yadav and Ravi Sah bagged one each.