In their third game of the Nepal Premier League (NPL), the Biratnagar Kings secured their first win by beating Lumbini Lions by two wickets at Tribhuvan Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Wednesday. Lumbini experienced a loss in their first game.
Pursuing a challenging target of 192 runs established by Lumbini, Biratnagar faced a difficult task, achieving victory with only one ball remaining while losing eight wickets along the way. Opener Lokesh Bam led the pursuit, hitting an impressive 71 runs from 47 balls, featuring 3 fours and 5 sixes before getting out.
Martin Guptill and Basir Ahmed provided 28 and 40 runs, respectively, but Lumbini’s bowling unit, spearheaded by Durgesh Gupta, was formidable. Gupta secured three vital wickets, while Saad Bin Zafar and Ramon Simmonds each captured two wickets, and Bibek Yadav took one.
Initially, choosing to bowl first after winning the toss, Biratnagar observed Lumbini set a remarkable score of 191/7 in their 20 overs. This score was the highest achieved by any team in the tournament thus far, exceeding the 182-run target established by Sudurpashchim against Biratnagar in a previous game.
Captain Rohit Paudel’s performance stood out for Lumbini, as he accumulated 46 runs from 29 balls, including 4 fours and 2 sixes before being caught by Pratish GC off a delivery from Rajesh Pulami. Tom Moores added a quick 30 runs off 17 balls but got run out. Lumbini’s batting faced more interruptions due to several run-outs, resulting in four of their players being out in that way.
Biratnagar’s bowling attack, featuring captain Sandeep Lamichhane, Ismat Alam, and Rajesh Pulami, each claimed one wicket, significantly contributing to limiting Lumbini’s total.
This win is an important morale enhancer for Biratnagar, who had previously lost both of their earlier matches, while Lumbini is under pressure to recover in their upcoming encounters.
