Sudurpaschim Province stunned departmental giants Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club by four wickets in their last group match of the Prime Minister Cup National women’s twenty20 cricket tournament to enter the semi-finals as the group winners and runners-up, respectively in Itahari on Tuesday.

Electing to bat first, national players-studded APF were restricted to 91-9 before Sudurpaschim made 92-6 with four balls to spare.

The outcome meant that Sudurpaschim finished on the top of Group ‘A’ standings with maximum six points with three wins in the four-team group and APF finished runners-up with four points. Bagmati and Gandaki have already crashed out from the group with a match yet to play.

APF will meet Group ‘B’ winners Province 1, who saw off Karnali in the day’s early kickoff, in the semi-final, while Sudurpaschim will meet the runners up – the winner of Lumbini versus Madhesh match, in the last four.

APF’s middle-order batter Mamta Chaudhary scored a run-a-ball 26, the highest of the innings and remaining unbeaten. She struck two hits to the boundary. Roma Chaudhary contributed 15 off 20, while opener Jyoti Pandey scored 14 off 22 balls. Indu Barma was the other batter to touch a double-digit score - making a 15-ball 11.

Sudurpaschim’s Kabita Joshi was the pick of the bowling, and took three wickets. The player-of-the-match gave away 15 runs in her four-over spell. Ritu Kanoujiya claimed two wickets, while Kabita Kunwar and Manisha Chaudhary picked up a wicket each.

Sudurpaschim made a shaky start to their run chase, losing top order batters cheaply, with 27-4 on board. Dolly Bhatta, who came in to bat at number five, led the team’s fightback, scoring 33 off 38. She hit four boundaries and a six in her 38-ball knock before she was stumped by captain Sita Rana Magar.

Bhatta also shared a 50-run stand for the fifth wicket with Ritu Kanoujiya, who contributed 10 off 22 balls.

APF bowler Nary Thapa took three wickets in her four-over spell giving away 10 runs. Suman Bist, Indu Barma and Sita Rana Magar also shared a wicket each.

Province 1 storm into semis as group winners

In the early kickoff, national captain Rubina Chhetry-led Province 1 thrashed Karnali Province by 10 wickets to wrap up the group stage on a cent percent win rate and finish on the top of Group ‘B’.

Opting to bat first, Karnali managed 39-5 in a game delayed by fog and reduced to nine overs a side. Chasing the target, province 1 openers Kajal Shrestha and Chhetry surpassed their target in 4.5 overs.

The outcome secures the top spot finish for Province 1 who are on nine points from three matches. The winner of the Lumbini versus Madhesh Province game, who are set to clash in their last group match on Wednesday, will advance as the runners-up from the group.

Rama Budhathoki was the only batter for Karnali to score in double digits, scoring 18 off 29 balls. She hit a boundary before getting run out.

Province 1 bowlers Jyoti Danwar, Chhetry, Sangita Rai, Kajol Rajbanshi took a wicket each.

In the run chase, openers Kajal Shrestha was unbeaten on a 15-ball 13 and Chhetry on a 14-ball 22. The player-of-the-match Chhetry slammed three hits to the boundary along with a six, while Shrestha cracked two fours.