APF’s Pradeep Singh Airee (right) and teammate Subash Khakurel celebrate during their PM Cup match against Province2 in Kathmandu on Monday. Photo: Udipt Singh Chhetry/ THT

Kathmandu, June 4

Subash Khakurel and Pradeep Singh Airee scored centuries as Nepal APF Club defeated Province2 by 96 runs under Duckworth-Lewis method and entered the semi-finals of the PM Cup One Day Cricket Tournament here at the TU Stadium today.

With their third straight victory, APF accumulated six points and joined Tribhuvan Army Club in the semi-finals from Group A. TAC also have six points but they are second in table due to inferior run rate and the match between the two departmental teams will decide the group winners.

Batting first, APF amassed 339-6 riding on centuries from Khakurel and Airee before Province2 — who got the revised target of 202 from 28 overs — managed 105-9.

After losing opener Anil Kumar Sah (three) with 20 runs on the board, Khakurel and Airee added 231 runs for the second wicket. Khakurel hammered seven fours and two sixes in his 130-ball 103, while Airee scored a quick fire 158 off 135 balls that included 13 boundaries and eight sixes. Man-of-the-match Airee also became the highest individual scorer in 50-over national cricket eclipsing the previous best of Raju Khadka. The former national team skipper Khadka of Region-IV (Bhairahawa) had scored unbeaten 151 runs against Region-II (Birgunj) during the national tournament in Birgunj in 2004.

Prithu Baskota struck four boundaries and a six in his unbeaten 29 off 14 balls, while Bhuvan Karki struck three fours in his six-ball 16. Divyanshu Mallick of Province2 completed the five-wicket haul although he conceded 84 runs in nine overs, while Rahul Pratap Singh took 1-20 from two overs.

In reply, Province2 had reached 64 without loss in 16 overs before rain stopped the match. Upon resumption, Province2 needed another 138 runs from 12 overs and they lost momentum.

After Karan KC made the breakthrough dismissing Suraj Patel in the fourth ball of the 17th over, Province2 lost wickets at regular interval before being folded cheaply. They could just add 41 runs losing nine wickets in 12 overs.

Opener Harishankar Shah top scored with 38 off 52 balls hitting three fours, while other opener Patel scored 53-ball 34 that included five boundaries and a six. Other batsmen failed to score in double figures.

Karan KC (3-30) and skipper Basant Regmi (3-10) shared six wickets between them for APF, while Bhuvan Karki, Kamal Singh Airee and Rohit Kumar Paudel took one wicket each.

In another match at the Mulpani grounds, Province5 beat Province3 by 30 run in D-L Method. Batting first, Province5 were bowled out for 152 runs in 44.4 overs, while Province5 had reached 89-3 in 20.5 overs before rain stopped the play. Province5 were declared the winners after they received the revised target of 60 runs in 20.5 overs which they had already crossed.

Opener Bhupendra Thapa top scored for Province3 with 46 off 66 balls that included three fours and two sixes, while Rupesh Kumar Shrivastav remained struck two fours in his unbeaten 36-ball 21. Jitendra Singh Thakuri (18), Aadil Khan (16) and Sanjay Basnet (15) also scored in double figures. Man-of-the-match Lal Adhikari was the pick of Province5 bowlers taking 4-33 from 10 overs, while Krishna Karki (2-7), Sandeep Sunar (2-31) and Bikram Kumar Bhusal (2-41) took two wickets each.

In reply, Sandeep Sunar scored 38 off 35 balls hitting seven fours and a six before being retired hurt, while Shankar Rana scored 31-ball 19. Shakti Gauchan remained unbeaten on 15 off 23 balls that included two fours. The match was stopped after Antim Thapa (10) was bowled by Kishore Mahato. Abhishek Jha also took a wicket for Province3.

After day’s result, Province5 advanced to the semi-finals with five points from three matches. Province7, who also have five points from four matches, are second and are still alive, while Nepal Police Club are third with three points from two matches. Province3, who have two points after three matches, and Province6 (one) are out of the race.

KATHMANDU: Tribhuvan Army Club defeated Pokhara 54-12 for their fifth straight victory in the Turkish Airlines Engage Empowering League Wheelchair Basketball Tournament here at the Jagadal Battalion courts in Chhauni on Monday.

Raju Katuwal top scored for TAC with 26 points.

Earlier, Pokhara defeated Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Centre 20-18.

In other matches, Wheelchair Sports Association beat Chitwan 22-8 and Bishnu Shrestha netted 34 points as Bodhisatwas In Action hammered Nepalgunj 45-0.

Nepal Spinal Cord Injury Sport Association registered double victories. They outplayed Chitwan 22-4 and returned to beat Nepalgunj 33-2.

After the third day’s results, TAC are at the top of the table with 10 points from five matches, while BIA are second with eight.

NSCISA, Jawalakhel Wheelchair Sports Club and Pokhara have three points each.

KATHMANDU: Olympian swimmer Gaurika Singh bagged eight gold medals on her way to earning berth in the 18th Asian Games to be held in Indonesia later this year.

Singh, who represented Tribhuvan Army Club, earned 630 FINA points and was picked for the Asiad along with Tisa Shakya, who received 507 points. Subham Shrestha (524) and Sirish Gurung (489) earned berths in men’s section.

Dubana Lama (465) and Anubhav Subba (486) have been selected as reserve players.

In the selection tournament which was shut for media, Singh claimed gold medals in 200m free, 100m butterfly, 100m backstroke, 50m freestyle, 200m IM, 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke events.

Likewise, fellow Olympian Gurung bagged four gold medals in 200m IM and 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle.

TURIN: The Netherlands scored late to hold 10-man Italy to 1-1 in a friendly in Turin on Monday.

Nathan Ake headed in two minutes from time to cancel out Simone Zaza’s opener.

Italy played the final 21 minutes a man down after defender Domenico Criscito was harshly sent off for a poor last-man tackle.

Both teams, which used to be powerhouses of football, failed to qualify for the World Cup and it was not hard to see why.

Although Italy created the better of the chances it floundered in front of goal, while the Netherlands struggled to muster a shot on target until late in the match.

It was Roberto Mancini’s third match in charge of Italy after a victory against Saudi Arabia last week and a defeat to France.

“It’s too early at the moment to see something,” Mancini said. “We have to begin playing the youngsters, the ones who have less experience.

“The guys put a lot of effort in, after a hard year. We have to sort out a lot of things, but I am optimistic.”

Mancini changed 10 of the 11 players who started Friday’s friendly in Nice, keeping only Jorginho. Lorenzo Insigne became the first Napoli player to captain Italy.

The Azzurri thought they scored within three minutes but Andrea Belotti’s strike was ruled out for offside.

Italy had the better of the chances in a bright first half for the home side but wasted opportunities, notably when Belotti fired straight at Netherlands goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen from point-blank range.

Criscito’s header was also cleared off the line by Ruud Vormer with Cillessen beaten.

The Netherlands upped the pressure in the second half but Italy took the lead in the 67th after Federico Chiesa crossed in from the right for fellow substitute Zaza to slide in and fire into the bottom left corner.

It was Zaza’s third appearance for Italy since missing his spot kick in a penalty shootout loss to Germany in the 2016 European Championship quarterfinals.

“I’m happy with the goal, because I had a bit of a sad memory of the national team,” Zaza said. “I had a bit of luck but it’s only normal to be emotional.

“We’re a young group and we can prepare ourselves best for competitive matches. Unfortunately we have a lot of time to do so.”

Two minutes later, Criscito was issued a red card for a desperate tackle on Ryan Babel.

The Netherlands poured forward and got the equalizer thanks to two substitutes, as Ake headed in Steven Berghuis’ cross.