KATHMANDU: Hosts Nepal are out from the title contention of  Nepal Women’s T20I Tri-Series after they suffered fourth straight defeat against mighty Thailand going down by five-run d at the TU ground, Kirtipur, on Tuesday.  

The win marked Thailand’s fourth consecutive victory, keeping them unbeaten in the tournament and close to trophy, while Nepal’s struggles persisted after another defeat. 

Electing to bat first,Thailand posted 106-6 in the allotted 20 overs before they restricted Nepal to 101-8.

Thailand faced early trouble losing five wickets for just 34 runs. Nepal’s Manisha Upadhyaya turned the heat on Thailand with a remarkable seventh over, claiming three wickets and finishing with figures of 4-1-18-3.

However, Thailand’s lower middle-order batters Thipatcha Putthawong and Chanida Sutthiruang steadied the innings with a crucial unbeaten 50-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Putthawong scored an unbeaten 25 runs off 31 balls, while Sutthiruang contributed a steady not out 27 runs off 28, guiding Thailand to a defendable total.

Chasing their first win of the tournament, Nepal’s top-order collapse left them reeling at 8-4, with Thailand’s bowlers exploiting early breakthroughs. Despite the shaky start, Rubina Chhetry (26 off 30) and Puja Mahato (18 off 28) stitched together a vital 44-run stand for the fifth wicket, offering hope for the hosts. 

However, Chhetry’s dismissal triggered another collapse, putting Nepal under pressure once again. Late contributions from Kabita Joshi (24 off 20) and Roma Thapa (not out 19 off 19) brought Nepal agonizingly close, but they eventually fell short by five runs. 

Thailand’s bowling attack was spearheaded by Thipatcha Putthawong, whose all-round brilliance earned her the player of the match award. She delivered an outstanding spell, taking 4 wickets for just 10 runs in her four overs that also included a maiden over. Phannita Maya also played a key role, picking up 2 wickets for 11 runs.

With this victory, Thailand sits comfortably at the top of the table with a perfect record of eight points from four matches. The Netherlands are in second place with four points from four games, while Nepal remains winless at the bottom of the table. Thailand’s win over Nepal was their second in the series, having previously defeated them by four wickets on Saturday.

Nepal will vie against the Netherlands on Tuesday in the tournament being held under triple round robin format.