Kritika Marasini took four wickets as Lalitpur Mayor’s XI launched their Lalitpur Mayor Women’s T20 Championship with a seven wicket victory over Bagmati Province at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Saturday.

Kritika, a vice-captain of Lumbini Province cricket team, took 4-4 including a hat-trick in her magical two-over spell, restricting Bagmati to 52 all out in 14.2 overs.

Skipper Ashmina Karmacharya top scored for Bagmati with 20 runs off 26 balls.

None other Bagmati batters scored in double digit figures, with Saraswati Kumari and Puja Mahato—both of whom play for Madhesh Province—doing the rest of the destruction.

Kumari returned the match figures of 3-11, while Mahato took 2-13.

Kumari started the demolition dismissing opener Helisha Gurung (5) and Sony Pakhrin (0) in the successive balls in the second over, and next got rid of Yashoda Bist in the 4th over to complete her three wicket haul.

Mahato trapped Sabika Yadav in the fifth over to put Bagmati in deep trouble at 17-4.

Kanchan Shrestha, who provided the second highest score for Bagmati making 11 off 18 balls, departed next after Jyotsnika Marasini ran her out.

Player-of-the-match Kritika then took the ball and removed Khushi Dangol (6), Bipisha Shahi (0) and Manisha Upadhyay (0) in successive balls in the 12th over to complete a hat-trick, and bowled out Bagmati’s sole fighter Karmacharya in the 14th over to bring her opponents to knees.

Mahato then trapped Krishma Gurung leg before to cut off the tail.

In reply, Mahato scored 23 not out off 30 balls and opener Laxmi Chaudhary played 7-ball 12 as Mayor XI completed the chase in 13.3 overs, losing three wickets.

Bagmati’s Khusi Dangol pocketed one wicket.

A total of five teams, including Mayor XI along with four teams reaching the playoff round of the 2023-24 Prime Minister Cup Women’s T20 National Cricket Tournament are participating in the single-round robin event.

Armed Police Force Club, Koshi Province, Sudurpaschim Province and Bagmati Province had made it into the PM Cup playoffs. APF won the tournament that was held from December 21, 2023 to January 3, 2024.

Mayor’s XI consists of players from the remaining four teams—Madhesh Province, Lumbini Province, Gandaki Province and Karnali Province—who failed to qualify for the Prime Minister Cup semi-finals.

The top two teams will progress to the final, which will take place on Saturday.

Mayor XI will next face Sudurpaschim on Sunday.

Koshi and defending champions Armed Police Force Club are also in action later in the afternoon.

APF are the most successful side of the Lalitpur Mayor Championship, winning the past three editions.