POKHARA, Dec 20: Chitwan Rhinos took its winning streak to three after defeating Expert Dhangadhi Blues by 52 runs in the ongoing second Namaste Pokhara Premier League (PPL) in Pokhara on Friday.

At the Pokhara Stadium’s cricket ground, Blues innings was limited to 129 runs for the loss of eight wickets after Rhinos posted 181 runs in 20 overs for the loss of five wickets. 
Blues skipper Dipendra Singh Airee held an end together but failed to stitch any impactful partnership as the batsmen at the other end kept losing their wickets. Airee scored 49 runs off 42 deliveries which included four boundaries and two sixes. Similarly, Canadian opening batsman Rodrigo Thomas showed some glimpses of form during his 20-ball stay scoring 24 runs but failed to capitalize on his start. 

Likewise, Sandeep Jora was dismissed for 21 runs in as many deliveries which included a four and a six. Indian allrounder Amit Yadav stayed unbeaten on 17 runs as none of the other batsmen were able to reach double-digit score.
Bhuvan Karki was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets whereas Karan KC and Indian all-rounder Sunny Patel shared two wickets each.

Earlier, Aarif Sheikh and Sunny Patel collected 72 runs in last five overs to help Rhinos post 181 runs in final 20 overs, 20 odd runs more than projected score when Rhinos lost Anil Sah, who scored 19 runs off 20 deliveries, at the end of the 14th over at a total of 109 runs.
Player-of-the-match Sheikh blasted unbeaten 47 runs off 20 deliveries which included two fours and four sixes. Likewise, Patel continued his glorious form scoring 32 runs off 17 deliveries including a four and three sixes. 

Similarly, Babar Hayat had scored 36 runs off 28 deliveries which included three fours and two sixes and captain Paras Khadka contributed a brisk cameo of 23 runs off 15 deliveries which included a boundary and a six.

Captain Airee picked up two wickets but was expensive in his four overs conceding 41 runs whereas his cousin Kamal Singh conceded, the most of the day, 52 runs off his four overs. Anil Kharel was the pick of the bowlers scalping two wickets of Khadka and Hari Shankar Shah in his four overs conceding 18 runs off it. Amit Yadav was the other wicket-taker in the innings.
It was Blues’ second loss in three matches after winning the first match against Pokhara Paltan whereas Rhinos sits on top with three consecutive wins. 
Rhinos will face Biratnagar Titans on Sunday whereas Blues will face Butwal Blasters in a do-or-die match on the same day.

Also, Indian batsman Aftabuddin Ahmed played a glorious innings full of sublime shots to help Butwal Blasters climb up to the second position after defeating Pokhara Paltan by eight wickets in the group stage match. 

With the defeat, Paltan, the last season’s winners, are virtually knocked out of the tournament with minimal mathematical possibilities to reach playoffs. Blasters, however, have solidified its position after chasing the 123 runs target in 14 overs recovering some of the lost net run-rate after a 119-run defeat against Chitwan Rhinos.

Player-of-the-match Aftabuddin smashed two sixes and 12 boundaries during his 46-ball 75 runs. He was caught by Prathamesh Dake at short fine-leg after Aftabuddin tried a scoop shot. He shared an opening partnership of 87 runs with Shankar Rana who chipped in with 19 runs off 23 deliveries which included two boundaries. Similarly, Bhim Sarki, who was promoted to number three, remained unbeaten on 16 runs off 10 deliveries which included three boundaries.

Dake and Rashid Khan were the only wicket-takers of the innings picking up a wicket each. Khan conceded 41 runs off his four overs whereas Dake was economical in his four overs conceding 19.
Earlier, Blasters won the toss and invited Paltan to bat first. Indian batsman Ravi Inder Singh stayed unbeaten on 45 runs off 42 deliveries which included two fours and sixes each. Rohit Kumar Paudel and Dake contributed respective 19 and 20 runs in the innings.

Harsh Tonk was the pick of the bowlers scalping two wickets off his economical four overs conceding only 10 runs off it. He was aided by Lalit Singh Bhandari, Shivam Singh and Nitesh Thapa who chipped in with a wicket each. Aftabuddin and Avinash Bohara were wicket-less in their respective four-over spells but only conceded 19 and 25 runs respectively.
Blasters will face Expert Dhangadhi Blues on Sunday whereas Paltan will face the same team on Monday.

 
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