NEPAL QUALIFY FOR SUPER THREE AFTER HONG KONG, CHINA SUFFER THEIR THIRD NO RESULT

NEPAL QUALIFY FOR SUPER THREE AFTER HONG KONG, CHINA SUFFER THEIR THIRD NO RESULT

The third team who will play in the Super Three stage of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier has been decided as Nepal have won Group C after the match between Hong Kong, China and Bahrain was rained off at AIT. Nepal and Hong Kong, China both finished on five points but Nepal win the group by virtue of having two wins compared to Hong Kong, China’s one win.

The Super Three stage will start on Sunday 18^th May with all three matches being played at TCG with Thailand playing UAE on Sunday, UAE facing Nepal on Monday and Thailand playing Nepal on Tuesday. The top two teams in the Super Three will move on to the global qualifier which provides a pathway to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup which will be held in England in 2026.

There was little hope of getting any play at AIT after a week of rain but skies did clear at TCG so the final game in Group A between Kuwait and Bhutan started on time. Bhutan won the toss and chose to field giving the new ball to 15-year-old off-spinner Priya Pradhan on her debut. She bowled tidily and dismissed Priyada Murali lbw for eight as Pradhan bowled her 4 overs for 16.

Kuwait had scored 23 for 1 from the powerplay and continued to bat steadily as they reached 41 for 2 from 10 overs. Kuwait’s fifty came up in the 12th over and Maryam Omar and Balasubramaniam Shanti were content to push the singles against accurate bowling as Kuwait reached 59 for 2 with five overs to go.

Omar hit a boundary as 10 runs came from the 16th over but Shanti was bowled by Anju Gurung for 17 to leave Kuwait on 70 for 3. Omar was trying to play attacking shots and she finally connected to the final ball of the innings to take Kuwait to 92 for 3 from their 20 overs and she finished on an unbeaten 32 from 47 balls.

Bhutan started positively as their openers scored 15 from the first 3 overs but they were both out in the space of three balls as Sonam was bowled by Amna Tariq and Ngawang Choden was caught and bowled by Zeefa Jilani.

A third wicket soon followed as Tshering Zangmo was also caught and bowled by Jilani and Bhutan were 22 for 3 after the powerplay as Dechen Wangmo hit a four over cover’s head. Sonam Choden hit a no ball for four but Jilani finished with 2 for 14 from her 4 overs as Bhutan were 38 for 3 from 10 overs and required 55 from 10 to win.

Sonam Choden hit boundaries in two consecutive overs and was giving good support to Dechen Wangmo but leg-spinner Priyada Murali bowled well as she conceded 15 in her 4 overs. Maryam Omar was on to bowl her off-spin and with three wickets down Bhutan needed 28 from the last five overs.

The 50 partnership was up between Dechen Wangmo and Sonam Choden and Kuwait needed a wicket to stay in the match as Bhutan now required 18 from 3 overs.

Kuwait turned to the medium pace of Maria Jasvi and she made the breakthrough as she trapped Sonam Choden lbw for 29 from 45 balls. Bhutan were 79 for 4 after a stand of 63 but Jasvi couldn’t complete her over as she seemed to be affected by the heat. The new bowler conceded a no ball, a wide and a run so Bhutan needed 9 from 2 overs

Omar bowled Anju Gurung and Jasvi was back on the field to complete a run out although two runs were scored. The score was 88 for 6 at the start of the final over to be bowled by Jasvi with five runs to win.