SATV, Kathmandu, Apr 14: Tribhuwan Army Club and Sudurpaschim Province will battle for the Men’s PM Cup title.
Army booked their place in the final on Monday after thrashing Koshi Province by 185 runs, finishing unbeaten at the top of the table with 15 points. The Army side are three‑time champions, having lifted the trophy in 2017, 2021 and 2024.
Sudurpaschim sealed their spot courtesy of APF Club’s 74‑run victory over Madhesh Province on Monday.
The defeat ended Madhesh’s hopes of reaching the final, leaving Sudurpaschim second with 12 points from nine matches.
Madhesh, who could have stayed in contention with a win, slipped to fifth with nine points from eight games.
APF climbed to third with 11 points from nine matches, securing a place in the Jay Trophy. Madhesh remain in the hunt for the JayTrophy.
In Janakpur, captain Binod Bhandari struck his second century of the season to help Army post the second‑highest total of the PM Cup-362 for eight in 50 overs.
Chasing 363, Koshi were bowled out for 177 in 36 overs. Prabhat Rai top‑scored with 38, Sivas Bajagai made 37, skipper Sujan Thapaliya 30 and Ashish Magar 25. Akash Chand claimed three wickets and Basir Ahmed two.
Earlier, openers Bhandari and Tritiraj Das shared 83 for the first wicket before Bhandari added 148 with Bhim Sarki, who made 80. Bhandari reached his half‑century off 35 balls and his century from 91, hitting 15 fours and a six.
He went on to score 189 from 150 deliveries, with 21 fours and five sixes, becoming the second‑highest scorer in a PM Cup innings. He was bowled by Ashish Magar with three balls remaining.
This was his second century of the tournament, taking his tally to 402 runs. Jitendra Thakuri added 31. Bipin Mahato took three wickets, while Dipesh Kandel conceded 72 runs in 10 overs for one.
Koshi finished bottom of the table with eight defeats and just one point.
Sheikh’s record double hundred
In Birgunj, Aashif Sheikh stole the show with a record‑breaking double century as APF secured their fifth win of the PM Cup.
Opting to field first proved costly for Madhesh as APF piled up the highest total in PM Cup history- 390 for five in 50 overs.
Sheikh produced a rare double century. After fellow opener Dipak Bohora fell for 13, he was joined by captain Rohit Paudel. Sheikh reached his fifty from 56 balls and his century from 90.
He accelerated to his second hundred in just 47 balls, finishing with 208 from 142 deliveries, including 15 fours and 16 sixes. He retired with three balls left, surpassing Binod Bhandari’s 189 earlier the same day. Sheikh scored 60 runs in boundaries and 102 from sixes alone.
He shared a 145‑run stand with Paudel, who made 55 from 73 balls. Sundeep Jora added 56 from 42, while Lokesh Bam remained unbeaten on 21. Madhesh’s bowlers struggled, with Rupesh Singh taking three wickets but conceding 80 runs in 10 overs. Bishal Patel gave away 80 runs in nine overs without success, while Pradeep Paswan bowled six overs for 57.
Chasing 391, Madhesh finished on 316 for eight in 50 overs. They lost three wickets for 54 before Araniko Yadav and Mohammad Aadil Alam steadied the innings. Araniko made 86 from 73 balls with eight fours and six sixes, while Aadil blasted 87 from 43 with six fours and eight sixes. Bishal Sushling scored 30 and captain Anil Shah 39. Abhishek Gautam took three wickets for 80, while Kamal Airi claimed two.
