Chitwan Rhinos proved too good for Kat Queens Kathmandu as they lifted the Women’s Champions League Twenty20 title with a comfortable 45-run victory on Thursday.
In the final held at the Tribhuvan University Cricket ground, the Queens failed to mount a challenge as the Rhinos came up trumps on the back of the better team performance. Unlike the Queens, who rode on individual performance coming into the final, the Rhinos put up a combined effort that saw them landing the title.
After winning the toss, the Queens captain Rubina Chhetri put the Rhinos into bat with a hope to exploit early moisture in the pitch. But the Rhinos openers Kajal Shrestha and Kanchan Shrestha made a solid start, sharing 49 runs. The breakthrough came in the ninth over when Kajal was caught for 21. Kanchan fell in the next over for 19.
That brought Ritu Kanoujiya and Suman Khatiwada to the middle. They tried to steady the ship putting on 35 runs before Khatiwada, who topscored with 29 runs, was out in the 15th over. Kanoujiya then fell short of her ground in the 16th for six to leave them at 86 for four. Skipper Barma then played a cameo innings, cracking four boundaries to race to 22 and taking the team past the 100-mark with a 26-run partnership with Pyari Chaudhary.

The Rhinos posted 112 runs without further loss. Sangita Rai, Laxmi Saud and Saraswati Kumari took a wicket each for the Queens.
In reply, the Queens’ were shaky from the outset as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Rhino bowlers Khatiwada, Rekha Rawal and Kanoujiya maintained tight line and length to tie down the Queens batters.
Khatiwada bowled Sobha Ale for six and Rawal had Roma Thapa caught behind for nought. But it was only after the prized wicket of Queens’ skipper Chhetry that the Rhinos sensed victory.

Chhetry had opened twice for her team scoring 59 against Lalitpur Falcons and 34 against Biratnagar Titans in the eliminator. She came into the final having already amassed 212 runs in the five previous innings. But luck deserted Chhetry in the final as she was caught by Kanchan Shrestha off the bowling of Rawal for two, leaving the Queens in deep trouble at 13 for three.
Apsari Begam and Mamta Thapa tried to give some momentum in the chase with a 25-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Once Begam was bowled in the 14th over, the Rhinos quickly cleaned up the Queens’ tailenders to be all out for 67.
Congratulating the Rhinos for victory, Queens skipper Chhetry said her players failed to rise to the occasion and were nervous in the final. “The Rhinos played really well today. Our team was over-dependent on senior players. Junior players have a lot to learn and play responsibly,” she said.
The Rhinos bowlers Khatiwada and Kanoujiya claimed three wickets each, while Rawal had two to her name.
Winning captain Barma was glad to have kept up their winning run. “We were excited for the final after winning all four matches. We put our opponents under pressure all the time and got the result we wanted. We are happy to win the title,” she said.

Along with the winners’ trophy, the Rhinos also collected a cheque for Rs700,000, while the Queens received Rs300,000 for their efforts.
The Rhinos also scooped two individual awards. Kajal Shrestha was adjudged the best batter. With 10 wickets to her name, Kabita Gautam was declared the best bowler. Queens captain Chhetry was named the player-of-the-series.