KATHMANDU, May 29: Armed Police Force (APF) has made a winning start in the ongoing 1st Prime Minister Cup One Day National Cricket Tournament beating Western Region by 16 runs on Monday.
In the first match of Group A played at TU Cricket Ground, Western Region won the toss and invited departmental side APF to bat first. However, the match was halted due to rain when APF scored 160 runs for 4 wickets in the 37 overs in the allocated 50 overs match.
After the rain hit the match between APF and the Western Region, match was reduced to 20 overs on the basis of DL/Method. After this, visitor's Western Region got a new target of 148 runs.
APF off to winning start in Butwal
Western Region was dismissed at 131 runs for 6 wickets in the recalculated 20 overs match.
Earlier APF made a positive start to the innings with its opener Subas Khakurel hitting 50 runs off 64 ball, which was the highest score of the match, with the help of one six and four boundaries. Subash built up a 20-run partnership with Sandeep Sunar for the first wicket. For the second wicket, he built a 30-run partnership with Aasif Sheilkh. Skipper Gyanendra Malla made 33 runs off 52 balls and remaining not out. He built a 66-run partnership with Pradeep Singh Airee for the fifth wicket. Pradeep contributed 45 runs hitting one six and five boundaries facing 52 balls. Western Region's Lal Adhikari pocketed 2 wickets and he was supported by Bipin Khatri and Dhiraj Shahi who added one each.
Western Region made disastrous start to the inning as its openers Nardhoj Sen and Anil Gurung built up a partnership of only six runs for first wicket. Nardhoj made four runs off 11 balls while Anil contributed just two runs facing seven balls. Player-of-the-match Saurav Khanal collected highest 90 runs hitting 11 sixes and three boundaries off 49 balls and remaining not out but that wasn't enough for the team to save its inning as none other batsmen touched double digits. Gyanendra Malla was APF's pick of the bowling as he claimed 3-29 in four overs. He dismissed Rohit Paudel (9), Antim Thapa (2) and Krishna Karki (1). Sandeep Jhora, Avinash Bohora and Bhuvan Karki took one wicket each for the APF.
