KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, July 8:Nepal’s unbeaten run in the ACC Women’s Twenty20 Cricket Championship ended with a 23-run loss against Thailand at the Kinrara Oval, Malaysia on Wednesday.
Thailand scored 80/9 in 20 overs and defended the total bowling out Nepal for 57 runs in 15.1 overs to go atop group table and avoid mighty Hong Kong in the semifinals.[break]
Nepal, already in the semifinal, will play Hong Kong, who is unbeaten in Group B, on Friday.
Player of the match Thanapan Saisud takes the award as her teammates cheer the victory.Rudra Khadka
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Thailand won the toss and despite a good knock by opener Pundarika Prathanmitr struggled in their innings. Prathanmitr scored 24 off 21 runs with four boundaries before being bowled by Sonu Khadka.
None other batswomen scored much but everyone contributed a few runs. Nepali bowlers gave away 19 extra runs and went for 9 runs in the last over as Thailand marched to a defendable total.
Nary Thapa followed up her five-wicket haul with three wickets while Ritu Kanaujiya, Rekha Rawal, Sonu and Rubina Chhetri each picked up a wicket.
Nepal had a bad start losing three wickets for 26 runs in 7 overs but Neera Rajopadhyay and Ritu partnered 21 runs for fourth-wicket to take Nepal towards win. Neera got 16 off 17 balls with a four while Ritu scored 14 off 15 with two fours.
Their partnership took Nepal to 47/3 in 11 overs before the debacle happened. Nepal lost seven wickets in 25 balls scoring only 10 runs.
Player of the match Thanapan Saisud claimed four wickets in 13 balls while Nantanit Khonchan grabbed two.
