In the Group ´A´ match, Kathmandu defeated Region No 2 Birgunj by 66 runs at the TU Cricket Grounds. [break]
Kathmandu won the toss and chose to bat first. Openers Paresh Lohani and Subash Khakurel gave a 101-run first-wicket stand. Lohani scored 59 runs off 64 balls while Khakurel struck 43 runs. As Lohani and Khakurel gave flying start of 101 runs in 20 overs, middle-order batsmen chipped in to take Kathmandu to a good total of 269/5 in 50 overs.
Gyanendra Malla added 39 runs while Paras Khadka scored 32 runs. Dipendra Chaudhary was unbeaten on 36 runs while Sunam Gautam contributed 27 runs.
Anil Mandal took two wickets while Rajiv Shrestha and Kumar Thapa claimed a wicket each.
While chasing the total, Birgunj also started well as Mandal (27 runs) and Aakash Singh Pariyar (27 runs) produced a first-wicket partnership of 57 runs. In the middle-order, skipper Binod Das scored unbeaten 64 runs and anchored the innings. Batting alongside captain Das, Sanjam Regmi (22 runs) produced a 45-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
However, the experienced duo could not take Birgunj to victory and they were all out for 203 runs in 46.3 overs. In his blistering knock of 64 runs off 46 balls, Binod struck five sixes and two boundaries.
Man-of-the-match Paras Khadka took three wickets to seal victory for Kathmandu.
In the Group ´B´ match, Bhairahawa thrashed Region No 1 Biratnagar by eight wickets at the Pulchowk Cricket Grounds. Biratnagar, who thrashed Bhairahawa in the final of the T20 tournament on Monday, could not extend their form to the One Day format.
Batting first, Biratnagar were all out for 83 runs in 25.1 overs. Santosh Baral (27 runs), Mehboob Alam (22 runs) and Manoj Mandal (10 runs) were the highest contributors for Biratnagar.
Amrit Bhattarai sent three Biratnagar batsmen to the pavilion while Shakti Gauchan and Vijay Thapa took two wickets each.
Chasing the small total, Bhairahawa met the target in 19.2 overs losing two wickets. Subash Pradhan topscored for the side with 32 runs while Shakti Gauchan added unbeaten 25 runs and Durgesh Rajali remained not out on 15.
Pushpa Thapa claimed two wickets for Biratnagar.
Amrit Bhattarai was adjudged man-of-the-match for his three wickets.
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