Biratnagar secures back-to-back victories


In the second season of the Nepal Premier League (NPL), Biratnagar Kings secured their second consecutive win.

Today, Biratnagar comfortably defeated Kathmandu Gorkhas by 5 wickets, handing Kathmandu their second loss after a disappointing batting performance.

Chasing a modest target of 135 runs, Biratnagar reached the total in 17.1 overs, losing 5 wickets along the way.

During the first powerplay, Biratnagar lost 1 wicket but scored 67 runs, moving steadily toward victory. Opener Lokesh Bam was dismissed for 14 runs on the fourth ball of the third over, caught by Santosh Yadav off the bowling of Karan KC.

Following this, George Munsey and Martin Guptill stabilized the innings with a 53-run partnership for the second wicket. Munsey scored 36 runs off 16 balls, including 5 fours and 2 sixes, before being dismissed LBW by Sahab Alam. At that point, Biratnagar needed 60 runs from 77 balls. Basir Ahmed was then dismissed for 19 runs off Erasmus’s bowling, leaving Biratnagar at 99/4 in 11.4 overs.

Soon after, Sahab Alam took the key wicket of Guptill, who returned to the pavilion after scoring 25 runs off 19 balls, including 2 fours and a six.

Naren contributed 24 runs before being caught by Karan off Santosh Yadav’s delivery. Captain Sandeep Lamichhane then came to the crease, with Biratnagar needing just 10 runs from 20 balls to win. Sandeep scored 9 runs and Shubham remained unbeaten on 6, sealing the victory.

In bowling, Sahab Alam took 2 wickets for 19 runs in 4 overs, while Karan, Rashid, and Santosh picked up 1 wicket each.

Earlier, after winning the toss, Biratnagar chose to bowl first, sending Kathmandu in to bat. Kathmandu posted a total of 134 runs for 6 wickets in 20 overs, starting poorly by losing 3 wickets for just 22 runs in the first 6 overs. Merchant de Lange dismissed Akash Tripathi on the fifth ball of the first over, leaving Kathmandu struggling to open their account.

In the third over, Kathmandu lost their second wicket as Ricardo Vasconcelos was run out for 3 runs. At just 7 runs, having already lost 2 wickets, Kathmandu could not stabilize before suffering their third blow, with Pratik Shrestha dismissed for 3 runs, bowled by de Lange. Soon after, the fourth wicket fell when Gerath Erasmus, who had made 10 runs, was trapped LBW by Surya Tamang.

Biratnagar’s impressive bowling put Kathmandu under pressure, taking 4 wickets while adding only 29 runs. By the 10th over, Kathmandu had scored just 42 runs, struggling to build momentum. Their fifth wicket, opener Bens Charlesworth, added 32 runs off 33 balls before getting out.

After a disappointing performance, Kathmandu managed only 71 runs by the end of the 15th over. In the 18th over, Sandeep Lamichhane caught Santosh Yadav off George Munsey’s bowling after he had added 26 runs off 24 balls.

Amidst their slow and challenging innings, hitter Mohammad Adil Alam played a crucial role, contributing an unbeaten 48 runs off 25 balls, including 4 fours and 2 sixes, taking advantage of two dropped catches by Biratnagar fielders. In bowling, de Lange took 2 wickets, while Shubham and Sandeep picked up 1 wicket each.

Earlier, Biratnagar had defeated Pokhara in their opening match. With this second consecutive win, they have accumulated 4 points. Kathmandu, who had started the tournament strongly by beating last season’s champions Janakpur, lost to Sudurpaschim Royals in their second game and has earned only 2 points from 3 matches.

In today’s earlier match, Karnali handed Lumbini Lions a humiliating 9-wicket defeat. There are no NPL matches scheduled for tomorrow.

On Monday, two matches will take place: the first between Janakpur Bolts and Biratnagar, and the second between Sudurpaschim Royals and Karnali Yaks.




 

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