Women’s teams of the Madhesh and Bagmati provinces made winning starts to their Twenty20 matches under the Ninth National Games in Pokhara on Sunday.

The low-scoring match saw Madhesh edge hosts Gandaki by 40 runs in the opener before Bagmati pulled off an eight-wicket win over the Sudurpaschim Province.

Put into bat first, Madhesh posted 77-8 before they bowled out Gandaki for 37 runs in 19 overs. Sana Praveen and Alisha Yadav contributed 14 runs each for Madhesh after they lost openers Anuradha Chaudhary and Sabnam Khatun for a duck each.

Praveen hit ball-a-run 14 while Yadav faced 22 deliveries. Apart from the duo Shanti Chaudhary was other Madhesh batter to contribute in double-digit figures scoring unbeaten 15 off 27. Roji Kadari (not out 9) Saraswati Kumari (8) and Santoshi Chaudhary (8) contributed for Madhesh.

Gandaki bowler Aakriti Tiwari grabbed three wickets while Kusum Godar picked two wickets.

In the run chase, Gandaki batters fell out cheaply at regular intervals. Shila Chaudhary, who contributed 10 runs, was the only player to touch double-digit figures for the home team.

Madhesh’s Anuradha Chaudhary was the pick of the bowling claiming four wickets. The player-of-the-match gave away eight runs in her four-over spell with a maiden.

In another fixture, Bagmati invited Sudurpaschim to bat first and bowled them out for 71 runs in 18.2 overs. In the run chase, Bagmati made 72-2 in 13.1 overs.

Sudurpaschim opener Rudi Poddar and lower middle order batter Anu Kadayat were the only players to score double-digit figures. Wicketkeeper batter Poddar scored 12 off 21 before she was bowled by Krishma Gurung.

Kadayat, the highest scorer for the team, contributed 22 off 23. She hit two fences before being bowled by Khusi Dangol.

Sony Pakhrin was the most successful bowler for Bagmati claiming five wickets in her four-over spell. The player-of-the-match conceded 13 runs.

In the run chase, Bagmati openers Ashmita Kharel and Kanchan Shrestha put up a 47-run stand for the first wicket creating base for an easy win. Shrestha contributed 25 runs, the highest of the innings for Bagmati, before she ran out facing 44 deliveries.

Kharel was the first wicket to fall scoring nine runs in her 26 ball knock. Suman Khatiwada remained not out on 11 runs while Aarati Bidari was unbeaten on three runs. Bagmati also got extra 24 runs.

Sudurpaschim bowler Yashu Pandey claimed one wicket.

The women’s cricket began five days before the National Games will officially kick off on October 14. The men’s cricket already concluded with the Nepal Police Club clinching gold defeating the Tribhuvan Army Club in the final on September 16.

The Nepal Police Club will vie against Karnali Province and Province 1 will lock horns with the Lumbini Province on Monday.