Birgunj won the toss and decided to bat first. Birgunj scored 198 before it lost all its wickets in 44.3 overs. Baitadi conceded 36 runs as extras.
Opener Sumit Shrestha top scored for Birgunj with 29 runs including five hits to the fence before being stumped by Baitadi’s keeper Pradeep Airee of the bowling of Bhuwan Karki. Binay Kumar Shah, who scored 26, was adjudged leg before again of the bowling of Bhuwan. Ramji Kumar Kanu remained unbeaten on 28.
Man of the match Chandra Saud took 3 wickets for Baitadi.
Baitadi’s run chase received a severe blow when Birgunj’s Avinash Karn bowled opener Prashanta Bista before Baitadi could open its account. Naresh Budhayer scored a half century in 85 balls but his lone effort could not win the match for Baitadi.
Hasim Ansari of Birgunj claimed three victims while Avinash, Manish Shivastav and Bibek Dali took two wickets each.
Meanwhile, Kathmandu defeated Nepalgunj by 3 wickets to finish top of the table and set the semifinal clash with Birgunj.
Nepalgunj won the toss and decided to bat first. Nepalgunj´s batsmen could not survive their allotted 50 overs and were bundled out in 33.5 overs with the score at 94, out of which 20 runs came as extras.
Nepalgunj´s Anupam Singh showed a gutsy performance as he remained inbeaten on 42. Man of the match Rupesh Shrivastav and Prithu Baskota claimed three scalps each. Ritesh Singh and Raman Shrestha took 2 wickets a piece.
It took Kathmandu 31.5 overs to wrap up the match but the match went to the wire as Nepalgunj was able to take wickets at regular intervals.
Navin Shahi and Mohammad Shahid Riza took two wickets while Sandeep Shrestha, Sunil Sunar and Subendu Pandey took a wicket each.
Kathmandu skipper Gyanendra Malla led the team from the front adding 25 runs to the overall score. His stay at the crease came to an end when he was caught by Sandeep of the bowling of Shubendu.
Stars, KIEC Birgunj win in Birgunj Premier League