Kathmandu Gurkhas Defeat Undefeated Lumbini Lions by 36 Runs in Nepal Premier League

Kathmandu

Kathmandu. The unbeaten journey of Lumbini Lions in the third edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) came to a halt on Saturday. Kathmandu Gurkhas registered their third consecutive victory in the tournament by defeating Lumbini by 36 runs in a match held at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.

Australian batter David Warner's half-century, Sahil Rachi's aggressive finishing, and Pakistani fast bowler Jahandad Khan's lethal bowling were decisive in Kathmandu's victory.

Warner and Sahil's Century Partnership

Invited to bat first after losing the toss, Kathmandu posted a competitive total of 160 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their stipulated 20 overs.

Openers David Warner and Sahil Patel provided a strong start for Kathmandu, forging an excellent century partnership of 104 runs off 80 balls for the first wicket. Warner scored 66 runs off 50 balls with the help of 9 fours and 1 six, while Sahil scored 38 runs off 36 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes each. This is the second century opening partnership of the ongoing NPL.

After Warner and Sahil were dismissed, Kathmandu's innings faltered somewhat, but lower-order batter Sahil Rachi batted aggressively towards the end. He scored an unbeaten 34 off 15 balls with 3 fours and 1 six, taking the team to a respectable score.

For Lumbini, Sher Malla, Abhishek Gautam, and Ruben Trumpelmann took 2 wickets each in bowling. Abhishek bowled tightly, conceding only 15 runs in 4 overs.

Jahandad's Lethal Bowling and Lumbini's Batting Collapse

Lumbini's start was very poor in pursuit of the 161-run target. Kathmandu's fast bowlers Jahandad Khan and captain Karan KC destroyed Lumbini's top order. Jahandad dismissed Darcy Short and Asif Sheikh in the second over, while Karan dismissed captain Rohit Kumar Paudel for zero in the third over. Immediately after, Jahandad dismissed Niroshan Dickwella (14 runs) and Dilip Nath, and Lumbini had already lost 5 wickets for 21 runs within 4 overs.

Jahandad bowled excellently, taking 4 crucial wickets for 23 runs in 4 overs. Similarly, Karan KC took 2 wickets, conceding 24 runs in 4 overs.

Sandip Jora tried to salvage Lumbini's innings from crisis. He partnered with Abhishek Gautam to build a 47-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Although Jora scored a team-high 45 runs with 3 fours off 46 balls and Abhishek scored 16 runs off 17 balls, it was not enough for victory. With Jora and Abhishek out, Lumbini was bundled out for 124 runs in 19.3 overs.

5 Run Penalty for Lumbini Due to Warner

A rare and interesting incident was also witnessed in the second innings of the match. When Kathmandu fielder David Warner stopped the ball using a handkerchief during fielding, the umpires awarded Lumbini a 5-run penalty.

According to ICC Cricket Rule Article 28.2, a fielder is not allowed to intentionally stop the ball using an external object other than their body. According to the same rule, 5 extra runs were added to Lumbini's account.

Festival of Tihar Alongside Cricket in the Stadium

Along with the thrill of cricket, the cultural atmosphere of Nepal's unique festival, Tihar, was also visible in Saturday's match. As the game progressed, Deusi-Bhailo songs echoed from the stands, making the stadium atmosphere festive. The musical atmosphere in the tournament has made the game a big festival of entertainment.

Points Table Standings

With this win, Kathmandu Gurkhas have moved up to second place in the table with 6 points from 4 matches. Despite the loss, Lumbini Lions remain at the top of the table with 7 points from 5 matches.

After the match, Lumbini captain Rohit Paudel admitted that the batting collapse in the powerplay was the main reason for the defeat, while 'Player of the Match' Jahandad Khan expressed that the team's goal is to win the title and he is excited by the collective performance.