The Prime Minister’s Cup Women’s Twenty20 National Cricket Tournament kicked off thrillingly on Thursday, with both APF and Bagmati Province showcasing their dominance through convincing victories.

APF Crushing Sudurpaschim with Dominant Performance

At the Mulpani Cricket Ground, APF asserted their authority with a resounding nine-wicket triumph over Sudurpaschim Province. Chasing a modest target of 88 runs, APF confidently reached the mark in 16.1 overs, losing only one wicket.

The show’s star was undoubtedly Jyoti Pandey, who delivered an unbeaten 49 runs off 48 balls, peppered with nine boundaries. Indu Burma provided rock-solid support, remaining unbeaten with 31 runs. Their unwavering partnership of 75 runs for the second wicket proved to be the cornerstone of APF’s commanding performance.

Sudurpaschim, opting to bat after winning the toss, managed a meagre 87 runs in their allotted 20 overs, losing nine wickets. Despite contributions of 22 and 12 runs from Kabita Joshi and Samjhana Khadka, the remaining batters struggled to reach double figures. APF’s bowling unit, spearheaded by Somu Khadka with two wickets and Suman Bista, Karuna Bhandari, and Indu Burma, each claiming a wicket, played a pivotal role in restricting Sudurpaschim.

Bagmati Holds Steady to Overcome Madhesh Challenge

Meanwhile, at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Bagmati Province secured a 28-run victory over Madhesh. Madhesh, tasked with chasing down Bagmati’s target of 118 runs, could only muster 89 runs in 20 overs, losing five wickets.

Pooja Mahato displayed resilience for Madhesh, scoring 35 runs, while Anuradha Chaudhary and Pratima Shah contributed 21 and 15 unbeaten runs, respectively. Captain Ashmina Karmacharya and Manisha Upadhyay led the bowling attack for Bagmati, claiming two and one wicket, respectively.

In the preceding innings, Bagmati, despite losing the toss and being invited to bat, posted a competitive total of 117 runs, losing four wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Yashoda Bista played a pivotal role with an unbeaten 47 runs off 39 balls, accompanied by Ashmina Karmacharya’s unbeaten 30 runs and Helisha Gurung’s 12 runs. The unbroken 72-run partnership between Yashoda and Ashmina proved instrumental in Bagmati’s success. Pooja Mahato took two wickets, while captain Kavita Gautam claimed one for Madhesh in their bowling effort.

Early Signs of Dominance

With APF and Bagmati exhibiting dominant performances in their opening matches, the Prime Minister’s Cup Women’s T20 is shaping into an exciting and competitive tournament. The depth of talent on display is promising, and it will be intriguing to see how the other teams respond to these early showings of force. As the tournament progresses, expect more nail-biting encounters, individual brilliance, and a fierce battle for the coveted championship title.