Rubina Chhetri, Sita Ranamagar and Sarita Magar have been named in the Nepali team along with Thapa for the upcoming Asiad to be held in Guangzhou, China, from November 12-27.[break]
Thapa was adjudged the best batswoman of the tournament in Singapore for bagging player-of-the-match awards in three out of six games that Nepal played. Chhetri had taken three wickets in the final match against Bhutan. Magar had top-scored crucial 23 runs unbeaten in the final and was subsequently declared the player-of-the-match. The team defended the title to record Nepal´s 13th successive international victory.
Thapa has not yet been declared as the captain for Asiad. She was stripped off her captaincy two years ago after clinching the ACC U-17 title but regained her post for the U-19 Women´s Championship this time. She was axed for the breach of discipline.
“Perhaps I played well in Singapore to prove my worth after I was removed from the post of skipper,” said jubilant Thapa. She scored a total of 191 runs and took seven wickets during the event.
Coach Samson Thapa said Nepal were able to defend the title because all the players contributed equally. “We´re able to win all the matches with ease except the final one against Bhutan. All the players played well at the right time,” said coach Thapa.
“The team still has lots of weaknesses. The team couldn´t play as one unit. Our players were run-out many times,” added the coach.
Both the coach and the skipper agreed that their performance in the astro-turf was good but said the batting had always been their weakness.
Cricket Association of Nepal´s President Binaya Raj Pandey and vice-presidents -- Shree Harsha Koirala, Upendra Prasad Bhattarai and Basanta lal Shrestha -- welcomed the team at the Tribhuvan International Airport.
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