Bangladesh storm to victory over Nepal in rain-affected final

Champa Chakma and her Bangladeshi team mates lift the trophy © ACC

Bangladesh eased to an eight-wicket victory over Nepal in a rain-affected final of the inaugural ACC Women's Cricket Tournament played at the Johor Cricket Academy in Malaysia today.

Nepal won the toss and elected to bat against a Bangladeshi team that boasted the best bowling attack in the competition. The openers did their best to see off the new ball but Ritu Kanoujiya's defences were finally breached by Shamima Akhter at the end of the eight over. Two more wickets fell quickly and Nepal was struggling at 12-3 after 12 overs at which point the heavens opened and the players left the field.

After a delay of four hours, the players returned to the field and the match was reduced to an 18 overs per side affair. Nepal attempted to hit out in the 6 remaining overs available to them but wickets tumbled regularly and they could only post a total of 26-8 from their 18 overs. For Bangladesh Shamima Akhter, Salma Khatun, Tithy Sarker and Champa Chakma helped themselves to two wickets each.

Without Duckworth/Lewis affecting calculations (although such would have been fairer to Nepal), Bangladesh faced the relatively simple task of scoring 27 runs off 18 overs. This they achieved without too much trouble in 9.1 overs for the loss of two wickets with Chamely Khatun finishing unbeaten on 17.

After the match, the best players of the tournament were announced. Hong Kong's Neisha Pratt (83 runs @ 27.66) won the best batter of the tournament and Nepal's Nary Thapa was named best bowler (11 wickets @ 3.00 runs apeice). Mina Khatun from Bangladesh was named the best wicket-keeper. But it was Bangladesh's Panna Ghosh who claimed the top honour of Player of the Tournament. In the five matches she played, Ghosh scored 75 runs at an average of 37.50 and claimed 9 wickets @ 2.11 runs apiece.