November 3, Kathmandu: Defending champions Lumbini Lions continued their unbeaten run in the Nepal Premier League (NPL) with a convincing eight-wicket victory over Pokhara Avengers on Tuesday at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.
Chasing a modest target of 98 runs, Lumbini reached 99 in just 11.4 overs, losing only two wickets in the process. With the victory, Lumbini moved to the top of the points table with five points from three matches. They are now the only unbeaten team in the ongoing tournament.
Rohit Paudel and Niroshan Dickwella guided Lumbini to a comfortable victory with an unbeaten 77-run partnership for the third wicket. Openers D'Arcy Short and Aasif Sheikh contributed 13 and 9 runs, respectively. Bipin Khatri claimed one wicket for Pokhara.
Earlier, after losing the toss, Pokhara Avengers managed just 97 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
For Pokhara, Chamika Karunaratne was the top scorer with 25 runs off 17 balls, including two sixes. Captain Kushal Bhurtel scored 14, Maheesh Theekshana 13, and Kiran Thagunna added 12 runs.
The remaining Pokhara batters failed to make significant contributions. Arjun Kumal was dismissed for a duck on the second ball he faced, while Sadara Samarawickrama scored 7, Bipin Acharya 1, Shakib Al Hasan 3, and Arjun Gharti 6 runs. Bipin Khatri remained unbeaten on 6, while Aakash Chand finished not out on 1.
Lumbini's bowlers delivered an impressive performance, with Ruben Trumplemann leading the attack. He claimed three wickets in his four overs, conceding just 16 runs. Tilak Bhandari also impressed, taking two wickets for 22 runs in four overs. Sher Malla, Abhishek Gautam, and captain Rohit Paudel picked up one wicket each.
With this defeat, Pokhara Avengers have now suffered their third consecutive loss. Having failed to secure a single point from three matches, Pokhara remain at the bottom of the points table. They are also the only team yet to register a victory in the ongoing season.
Captain Rohit Paudel played a key role in Lumbini's successful chase, scoring an unbeaten 47 off 32 balls, including three fours and three sixes. Wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella also remained unbeaten, contributing 27 runs off 28 balls with two fours and a six.१७ कात्तिक, काठमाडौं । साविक विजेता लुम्बिनी लायन्सले नेपाल प्रिमियर लिग (एनपीएल) मा आफ्नो अपराजित यात्रा कायम राखेको छ । मंगलबार कीर्तिपुरस्थित टीयू अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय क्रिकेट मैदानमा भएको खेलमा लुम्बिनीले पोखरा एभेन्जर्सलाई ८ विकेटले पराजित गरेको हो ।
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