APF Club Beats Bagmati Province by 71 Runs in PM Cup Clash

Nepal APF Club registered a convincing 71-run victory over Bagmati Province in the ongoing Prime Minister’s Cup One-Day Men’s National Cricket Tournament on Sunday. The match was played at the Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground in Kathmandu.

Chasing a competitive target of 272 runs, Bagmati Province struggled to build strong partnerships and were eventually bowled out for 200 runs in 45.1 overs. Bibek Magar was the top scorer for Bagmati with 34 runs, while Uttam Magar added 26 runs. Subash Khatri contributed 27 runs, and Rijen Dhakal remained unbeaten on 20 runs, but their efforts were not enough to secure a win. APF’s bowling attack was led by Rohit Paudel and Abhishek Gautam, who claimed three wickets each, dismantling Bagmati’s batting lineup. Yuvraj Khatri, Nandan Yadav, and Kamal Airee also chipped in with one wicket each.

Earlier, APF posted a strong total of 271/8 in 50 overs after being invited to bat first. The highlight of the innings was a brilliant century from Asif Sheikh, who scored 114 runs, including 14 boundaries and 3 sixes. Sandip Jora supported well with 52 runs, while Lokesh Bam added 29 runs. Yuvraj Khatri remained unbeaten on 26 runs, helping APF finish strongly. For Bagmati, Rijen Dhakal impressed with the ball, taking 4 wickets, while Ishan Pandey picked up 2 wickets. Sandip Lamichhane and Sonu Devkota took one wicket each.

The Prime Minister’s Cup features 10 teams, including departmental sides like Nepal Police Club, Tribhuvan Army Club, and APF Club, along with seven provincial teams. The tournament winner will receive a cash prize of NPR 1 million, while the runner-up will be awarded NPR 500,000.

With this dominant performance, APF Club has made a strong statement early in the tournament. Asif Sheikh’s century and the disciplined bowling attack proved crucial in securing the win, while Bagmati Province will look to bounce back in their upcoming matches.