Bangladesh beat Nepal, clinch inaugural title

Kathmandu, July 18:

Nepal lost to Bangladesh by eight wickets in final of the inaugural ACC Women’s Tournament at the Johor Cricket Academy in Malaysia today.

Batting first, Nepal managed a paltry 26-8 in rain-shortened 18-over a-side match. Bangladesh chased the total losing two wickets in 9.1 overs.

In its attempt to pose a defendable total, Nepali openers Ritu Kanoujiya and Manisha Rawal started cautiously and kept the Bangladeshi bowlers at bay. With nine runs on board Shamima Akhter got breakthrough in the last ball of the eighth over, trapping Ritu leg before. Ritu scored three runs in her defiant 34-ball innings.

Madhu Thapa joined Manisha (1) but was dismissed in the 10th over by Shamima without adding a single run to the total. Manisha gave up her resistance in the 11th over, bowled by Salma Khatun.

Heavy downpour held up the match for more than four hours with Nepal at 12-3 in 12th over. When the match resumed, Nepal lost five more wickets in an effort to accelerate their run rates in remaining six overs. Saraswoti BK and captain Nary Thapa top scored with five runs. Shamima, Salma, Tithy Rani Sarkar and Champa Chakma took two wickets each for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh received an early jolt when opener Ritu dismissed Tajkia Akhter (2) in the first over. Nary took the only other wicket to fall of Panna Ghosh (4). Chamely Khatun (17 not out) and Salma Khatun (1) saw their team home.

Panna Ghosh won the player of the tournament award while her teammate Mina Khatun won the best wicket-keeper award. Nary Thapa was named the best bowler and Neisha Pratt of Hong Kong bagged the best batswoman title.

“We’re going to get better,” said Nepal’s manager LB Chhetri. “We have the right spirit and want to improve. We didn’t know what to expect when we arrived in Malaysia but now we know that to reach the level of Bangladesh we have to be more attacking.”

SCOREBOARD

NEPAL

Ritu lbw b Shamima 3

Manisha b Salma 1

Madhu c Tajkia b Shamima 0

Binu lbw b Salma 1

Saraswoti c Panna b Champa 5

Neetu c Panna b Tithy 4

Nary st Mina b Tithy 5

Neera c Panna b Champa 0

Trishna not out 1

Extras: 6 (w3, lb3)

Total: 26/8 (18 Overs)

FoW: 1-9, 2-9, 3-10, 4-13, 5-20, 6-20, 7-20,

8-26

Bangladesh bowling: Panna 4-3-2-0,

Shamima 6-2-7-2, Salma 4-2-5-2,

Tithy 3-1-9-2, Champa 1-1-1-2

BANGLADESH

Tajkia c Saraswoti b Ritu 2

Chamely not out 17

Panna c Manisha b Nary 4

Salma not out 1

Extras: 3 (w1, b1, lb1)

Total: 27/2 (9.1 overs)

FoW: 1-2, 2-18

Nepal bowling: Ritu 4-0-11-1, Sita 2-0-2-0, Nary 2-1-4-1, Neera 1-0-4-0, Neetu 0.1-0-5-0