Bagmati Province emerged victorious over Karnali Province, earning a spot in the semifinals of the KP Oli Cup T-Twenty Cricket tournament with a convincing 90-run win in Group A.
Rit Gautam and Ishan Pandey’s stellar batting performances, coupled with captain Sandeep Lamichhane’s excellent bowling, propelled Bagmati to the semifinals.
Batting first after winning the toss at Pokhara Rangasala Cricket Ground, Bagmati posted a formidable total of 189 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs. Opener Rit Gautam led the charge with an impressive 82 runs, smashing 10 fours and 2 sixes in 59 balls. Ishan Pandey, batting at number three, contributed an aggressive 70 runs, including 4 fours and 6 sixes in 38 balls. Captain Sandeep Lamichhane took charge in the bowling department.
In response, Karnali, chasing a target of 190 runs, was bowled out for just 99 runs in 17.3 overs. Arjun Gharti top-scored with 24 runs, while Sandeep Lamichhane claimed 4 wickets for Bagmati. The rest of the Karnali batting lineup struggled to reach double figures.
Gandaki stunned the Armed Police Force (APF)
In the second match of the tournament, Gandaki Province stunned the Armed Police Force (APF) with a 4-wicket victory, reaching the target of 102 runs with two balls to spare.
APF, batting first after losing the toss, managed to score 101 runs in 18.4 overs. The Gandaki bowlers, led by Amrit Gurung, created pressure on APF, limiting their scoring opportunities. Kamal Pariyar dismissed APF captain Pradeep Airee, who top-scored with 20 runs.
Amrit Gurung, Bipin Khatri, Chandra Paudel, and Kamal Pariyar, who earned the Player of the Match title for Gandaki, secured 2 wickets each, while Dinesh Budhamgar and Sudeep Aryal contributed with 1 wicket each.
Gandaki, in their chase, lost wickets but secured victory with Amrit Gurung’s crucial runs. Muskan Thapa top-scored with 26 runs, guiding Gandaki to success.
The tournament will continue with two matches at Pokhara Stadium on Saturday, featuring Madan Bhandari Sports Academy ‘Red’ against Karnali in the first match, and APF against Lumbini in the second match.
The competition offers a significant prize pool, with the winner receiving a medal, trophy, and 5 lakh cash, while the runner-up will get 250,000 cash. The Player of the Series will be awarded Rs 30,000 in cash, and the Best Batsman and Bowler will each receive Rs 20,000. The Man of the Match will receive Rs 5,000 in cash. The competition is set to conclude on the 15th.
