Bagmati Province edged Gandaki Province by 40 runs in their last group match to confirm semi-final spot as group runners up in the Prime Minister Cup National Twenty20 cricket tournament at the TU cricket grounds in Kirtipur on Saturday.

Batting first, Bagmati posted 143 runs for the loss of nine wickets before restricting Gandaki to 103-9. The player-of-the-match Bipin Acharya shone for Bagmati with both bat and ball. He scored 30 runs, the highest of the innings for the winning side and returned with two wickets in bowling.

The third victory cemented second spot for Bagmati with six points after playing their last Group 'B' match. They finished two points behind group toppers APF, who wrapped up the group stage with a 100 percent winning record.

Bagmati will meet Group 'A' winners Nepal Police Club in the semi-final in the event that sends top two finishers of each group in the last four. Gandaki, yet to play a match against Lumbini, are languishing pointless at the bottom.

The middle order batter Acharya hit three fences in his 19-ball knock before he was run out. Opener Subash Khakurel and Pratish GC contributed 27 runs each. Khakurel hit two fences and a six in his 30-ball knock while smashed a quickfire two boundaries and three sixes in his eight-ball knock.

Lucky Kathayat and Nandan Yadav were other major contributors scoring 17 runs and 14 runs, respectively, for Bagmati who were also gifted with 14 extra runs. Captain Gyanendra Malla departed for four.

Gandaki bowlers Krishna Poudel and Bishal Poudel shared two wickets apiece. Krishna conceded 26 runs in his three-over bowling while Bishal gave away 18 runs in his four-over spell.

Chasing the moderate target, Gandaki faltered, losing openers Anil Gurung and Arjun Kumal for eight and nine runs, respectively. Kamal Pariyar was the highest scorer contributing ball-a-run 11. Bidhan Shrestha, Deepak Dumre, Sandeep Chhetri, Govinda BK and captain Bishal all scored 10 runs each. They also got 16 extra runs.

Apart from Acharya's two-wicket haul, Bagmati bowlers Nandan Yadav and Subash Khatri also grabbed two wickets apiece. Acharya gave away 19 runs in his four-over spell while Yadav conceded 11 runs in his three overs. Khatri conceded 18 runs in his bowling for two overs.

Meanwhile, the day's opening match scheduled between Nepal Police Club and Province 1 was postponed due to suspicion of Covid-19 to some of the members of the Province 1 squad.

According to Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), swab samples of all the members of the team were sent for PCR tests. A decision regarding the match will be made after the PCR test results.