Nepal edge Bahrain to keep Super Three hopes alive

Kathmandu: Nepal registered a six-wicket victory over Bahrain in D/L method for the second time in ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup Asia Region Qualifier on Thursday to keep alive their slim hopes of qualification into Super Three stage.

Bahrain had scored 76-3 when the rain stopped play in 12.4 overs at the Terdthai Cricket Ground in Bangkok. Chasing the revised target of 56 runs in seven overs, Nepal reached the mark with eight balls to spare losing four wickets.

The outcome lifted Nepal on top of the three-team table with five points after their last league stage game. Hong Kong and Bahrain, both with a match advantage over Nepal, have four and one point respectively.

Nepal’s Super Three passage now depends upon the outcome of the Hong Kong vs Bahrain fixture. Nepal could progress only if Hong Kong lose their game to Bahrain on Friday or if gets abandoned.

Nepal had defeated Bahrain by nine wickets, also by D/L method in their first game.

Nepal were off to a shaky start to their run chase losing openers Shamjhana Khadka (5 runs) and Rubi Poddar (1 run) and number four batter Kabita Kunwar (0)

with 8-3  on board.

Captain Indu Barma rescued the innings with a quickfire knock of 24 runs from 7 deliveries. She slammed four hits to boundaries and a six remaining unbeaten. Puja Mahato contributed 11 runs off 7. Rubina Chhetry remained not out on four runs.

Pavithra Shetty grabbed all three wickets of Nepal in her two-over spell conceding 10 runs.

Earlier, electing to bat first, Bahrain opener Rasika Rodrigo (24 runs) and captain Deepika Rasangika (23 runs) put up remarkable scores. Opener Tharanga Gajanayake also contributed 12 runs. All three Bahrain batters got run out.

The group toppers of all three groups will vie in the Super Three stage. Thailand, Kuwait and Bhutan are placed in Group ‘A’ while UAE, Malaysia and Qatar are drawn in Group ‘B’.

The top two sides of the Super Three stage will secure a place for Global Qualifiers.