The Lalitpur Mayor’s Cup, a significant event in the cricket calendar, was affected by rain as APF emerged victorious and Sudurpaschim triumphed. The Lalitpur Mayor’s Cup National Women’s Twenty20 Cricket Tournament kicked off with a dampener. Rain curtailed the opening match between Nepal APF Club and Koshi Pradesh at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.

Despite the shortened five-over contest, APF’s players showcased their skill and dominance, comfortably dispatching Koshi Pradesh by 24 runs. Batting first, APF put up a modest total of 56 runs. Opener Sita Ranamar’s gritty 38 anchored the innings amidst early hiccups that saw them lose three wickets.

Koshi Pradesh’s chase floundered from the outset. Captain Apsari Begum’s valiant knock of 25 runs remained an isolated bright spot as their batting order crumbled under pressure. APF’s bowling attack, spearheaded by Ranamar, who bagged a wicket, stifled Koshi’s momentum, restricting them to a meagre 32 runs.

The rain also affected the day’s other encounter, forcing the application of the Duckworth-Lewis method (DLS) in the clash between Sudurpaschim Province and Lalitpur Mayor 11. Sudurpaschim emerged victorious by a 16-run margin in the rain-affected contest.