Lumbini Lions’ aspirations of reaching the Nepal Premier League (NPL) playoffs ended following a loss to Kathmandu Gurkhas at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground on Monday. The win has bolstered Kathmandu’s prospects of moving on to the playoffs.
Batting first, Kathmandu was dismissed for a modest total of 103 runs, with Bhim Sharki scoring the highest at 31 runs from 40 balls. Pratik Shrestha scored 20 runs off 14 balls, and Dan Douthwaite made a contribution of 21 runs. Other hitters, such as Stephen Eskinazi (13 runs), Gerhard Erasmus (1 run), and Rashid Khan (1 run), did not make an impact. Dipesh Kandel stayed not out at 0 as Kathmandu’s innings concluded in 19.4 overs.
The bowlers from Lumbini showed excellent performance, with Saad Bin Zafar claiming 3 wickets, while both Ramon Simmons and Abhishek Gautam secured 2 wickets each. Surya Tamang and Bibek Yadav both took one wicket each.
Pursuing a modest goal, Lumbini’s batting order crumbled under strain. Captain Rohit Paudel scored just 8 runs from 15 balls, while Unmukt Chand (14 runs), Tom Moores (6 runs), and Arjun Saud (3 runs) found it difficult to form partnerships. Despite Sandeep Jora scoring 26 runs off 29 deliveries, Lumbini were all out for only 91 runs, missing the target by 12 runs.
Karan KC from Kathmandu was the standout bowler, taking 4 wickets. Dipesh Kandel claimed 3 wickets, whereas Rashid Khan and Gerhard Erasmus took 1 wicket apiece.
This outcome removes Lumbini Lions from the playoff race since they only have 2 points after six games. In contrast, the Kathmandu Gurkhas currently hold 4 points from four games, maintaining their playoff ambitions.
