Eastern Region to face APF in final

KATHMANDU: Eastern Region advanced to the final of the National Women’s Selection Cricket Tournament on better net run rate after their last league-round match against Far-western Region was washed out here at the Tribhuvan University Stadium today.

The two teams had two points each from and were playing their final group stage match, which was reduced to 18-over-a-side, to decide the Pool ‘B’ winners. Put in to bat first, Far-western were reeling at 7-6 in 7.2 overs when rain forced the players off the field. No further play was possible and the teams shared one point each.

As they were tied on three points each, net run rate came into effect and Eastern Region topped the group with +2.975 to that of Far-western’s +0.397. Another team of the pool, Western Region lost both the matches. Eastern Region will now take on Nepal APF Club in the final on Tuesday. APF had on Sunday made it to the championship match with maximum four points from two matches.

In the seven overs, Far-western batters faltered against Eastern Region’s attach led by Kabita Gautam and Santoshi Chaudhary. Four players were out for naught, while Roshani Bohara’s two runs became the highest score of the innings. Once skipper Rekha Rawal was out with just one run on the board, Far-western Region lost another five wickets for just four runs. Skipper Rubina Chhetri went wicketless in her two-over spell, while Kabita Gautam took 3-2 and Santoshi Chaudhary claimed 2-3. In a meaningless Group ‘A’ match, Mid-western Region defeated Central Region by five wickets. Batting first after winning the toss, Central Region scored 57-4 in their allotted 10 overs, while Mid-western reached 60-5 in the last ball of the match.

Laxmi Chaudhary scored an unbeaten 39 off 33 balls, while Mid-western skipper Nary Thapa Magar scored 12-ball 10. Chaudhary was named the player-of-the-match. Asmina Karmacharya, Sita Shrestha, Sobha Aale and Geeta Chudal took one wicket each for Central Region. Earlier, Rachana Aryal’s unbeaten 22 off 30 balls and Sita Shrestha’s 12 off 15 were the highlights of Central Region innings. Nary Thapa Magar took 2-10 from two overs, while Geeta Goshai claimed one wicket for Mid-western.

The six-team tournament is organised by National Sports Council in the absence of cricket board after the International Cricket Council suspended the Cricket Association of Nepal for government’s interference and improper elections.