KATHMANDU, Dec 7: Biratnagar Kings ended Sudurpaschim Royals’ unbeaten run and set up a high profile clash with the same side in the first qualifier of the second season of the Nepal Premier League.
In their last league match, Biratnagar produced aggressive batting and stunned Sudurpaschim by six wickets in Kirtipur on Saturday. The big win pushed Biratnagar to second place on net run rate, sending Kathmandu Gorkhas down to third. The first qualifier between Biratnagar and Sudurpaschim will be played on Tuesday.
For Kathmandu, net run rate became the deciding factor for a second straight year. Last season they missed the playoffs because they fell behind Karnali Yaks on net run rate, and this time the same thing blocked their path. Sudurpaschim had already secured the top spot before this game.
The match mattered more to Kathmandu than Sudurpaschim. A Sudurpaschim win or even a narrow win for Biratnagar would have kept Kathmandu in second place. But Biratnagar pulled off a surprising and dramatic result, beating the unbeaten Royals. Sudurpaschim set a target of 148, but Biratnagar needed to chase it inside 13.5 overs to finish second. Openers Faf du Plessis and Sam Hain signaled their intent right away.
NPL Final: Opening pair help Sudurpaschim post 184/9
Both openers attacked from the start. Biratnagar finished the chase in 11.5 overs and climbed to second. Faf reached his fifty in 26 balls. Faf and Sam added 97 runs in 7.1 overs. Sam scored 51 off 27 with three fours and four sixes. Faf hit 50 off 20 balls with five fours and four sixes. After they fell, Martin Guptill kept going, making 22 from 9 balls before being run out. Pratish Jaisi hit three sixes in three balls and stayed unbeaten on 13.
For Sudurpaschim, Avinash Bohara took two wickets and Harmit Singh took one. All six bowlers went for runs. Biratnagar and Kathmandu both finished on 10 points from seven matches, but Biratnagar took second on net run rate. They now face Sudurpaschim in the first qualifier. Kathmandu will play Lumbini Lions in the eliminator.
Earlier, Sudurpaschim made 147 for 6 after choosing to bat. Aarif Sheikh top scored with an unbeaten 45 from 32 balls. They reached only 36 runs in the powerplay while losing one wicket. Opener Binod Bhandari made 15 before falling. Josh Brown added 24 off 25 with a four, and two sixes. The key partnership was 72 runs between Aarif and Ishan Pandey.
Sandeep Lamichhane dismissed Ishan for 38 in the seventeenth over, then removed Harmit Singh on the next ball. Captain Dipendra Singh Airee added 19 and supported Aarif. Sandeep took three wickets for 20 in four overs and stayed at the top of the wicket takers list with 15. Pratish picked two wickets in the death overs and gave only four runs in one over. Basir Ahmed took one wicket.
Pokhara finish fifth
Openers Adam Rossington and Arjun Kumal shared a hundred run stand to help Pokhara Avengers beat Chitwan Rhinos by eight wickets in their final game.
Pokhara ended the season fifth with six points from seven matches. Chitwan stayed lower in the table with four points. Chitwan gave a target of 121 at TU ground. Pokhara reached it in 19.4 overs. Rossington scored 65 not out with five sixes and four fours, while Arjun made an unbeaten 43 with two fours and a six. Their 100-run opening stand set up the win.
Chitwan’s bowlers Saif Zaib and Rijhan Dhakal took one wicket each. Earlier, after choosing to bat, Chitwan reached only 120 for 6. Their top three, Arjun Saud, Dawid Malan and Ravi Bopara, fell early. Dev Khanal scored 35, captain Kushal Malla made 23 and Saif Zaib scored 17. Alpesh Ramdani finished on 33 not out.
For Pokhara, Dhananjaya Lakshan took three wickets. Bipin Khatri, Kiran Thagunna and Rohit Chand took one each. The final league game on Sunday will feature Karnali Yaks and Janakpur Bolts, with the loser finishing last.
