JANAKPURDHAM: Koshi Province secured their second consecutive victory by defeating Lumbini Province in the ongoing Neco Cup Women’s T20 National Cricket Tournament at the Ram Janaki Multi-purpose Stadium.

In a match shortened to 5 overs per side due to rain, Lumbini Province was invited to bat first after losing the toss. They managed to score a meager 18 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in their designated 5 overs. None of the Lumbini batters could reach double-digit scores.

To restrict Lumbini to a low total, Koshi’s Riya Sharma and Rubina Chhetri took two wickets each. Chasing a tiny target of 19 runs, Koshi Province comfortably reached the mark in just 3 overs without losing any wickets. Kajal Shrestha and Apsari Begum anchored the chase with an unbeaten 19-run partnership to guide their team to a crucial win.

With this victory, Koshi Province climbs to the top of the points table with 4 points from two matches. Earlier on Saturday, Koshi had defeated Madhesh Province by 20 runs in the tournament’s opening match. The second match scheduled for today will feature a clash between Madhesh Province and Karnali Province.

According to Shivaji Prasad Gupta, Member Secretary of the Madhesh Sports Council, the tournament is jointly organized by the Ministry of Sports and Social Welfare of the Madhesh Provincial Government, the Madhesh Sports Council, and the Nepal Sports Federation. A total of nine teams are participating, including seven provincial teams and two departmental teams—Nepal Army and APF. The tournament will run until Ashar 14 (late June) with matches being held in Janakpurdham and Birgunj.