Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Biratnagar Kings defeated Pokhara Avengers by 53 runs in Match No. 3 of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) at the TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur, on Tuesday.
Sent in to bat after losing the toss, Biratnagar posted 220 runs for the loss of six wickets, the highest total in the NPL so far. They then restricted Pokhara to 167 runs in 18.5 overs.
Although Biratnagar lost opener George Munsey (10) early, the second-wicket pair of Lokesh Bam and Martin Guptill added 132 runs. Bam struck 72 off 48 balls, while Guptill hit a 35-ball 61. Shubham Ranjane continued the momentum with a 16-ball 38 before Basir Ahamad (23) and Narayan Joshi (11) contributed valuable late runs to push the total past 200.
Matt Taylor claimed two wickets for Pokhara, while Aakash Chand, Sagar Dhakal and Kushal Bhurtel picked up a wicket each.
Pokhara lost opener Dinesh Kharel (7) early in the chase of 221 runs. However, captain Kushal Bhurtel and Adam Rossington scored briskly to keep the innings alive. Bhurtel made a 31-ball 59, while Rossington contributed 39 off 21 balls. But Biratnagar regained control as Ranjane trapped Rossington leg-before and Marchant de Lange had Bhurtel caught behind by Bam. Captain Sandeep Lamichhane then removed James Neesham (0) and Trit Raj Das (0) in the space of three balls, all but ending Pokhara’s hopes of a comeback. Dan Douthwaite (29) and Abhishek Tiwari (11) were the only other Pokhara batters to reach double figures.
Marchant de Lange, Pratish GC, Shubham Ranjane and Sandeep Lamichhane picked up two wickets each for Biratnagar, while Basir Ahamad and Surya Tamang claimed one apiece.
