Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Karnali Yaks won the final league-stage match of the Nepali Premier League (NPL), defeating defending champions Janakpur Bolts by three runs in a last-ball thriller at the TU International Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Fielding first in the clash of the two bottom-placed sides, Janakpur restricted Karnali to 129 runs for the loss of nine wickets. In reply, Janakpur folded for 126 for the loss of seven wickets.
Although Karnali lost their hard-hitting opener Mark Watt for four, Imran Sheikh scored 33 off 32 balls to steady the innings. Priyank Panchal (16), Gulsan Jha (19), William Bosisto (15) and Najibullah Zadran (13) added valuable runs for Karnali, before Captain Sompal Kami struck 18* off 11 to take the score close to 130.
Lalit Rajbanshi and Aaditya Mahata claimed two wickets each for Janakpur, while Sangeeth Cooray, Anil Sah and Maaz Sadaqat picked up one each.
Janakpur’s top order collapsed in the chase of 129. Opener Maaz Sadaqat scored 12, while the other opener Aasif Sheikh and No. 3 batter Anil Sah fell for ducks, and Mayan Yadav could make only 9. Sanjay Krishnamurthi (51 off 39 balls) and Sangeeth Cooray (25 off 32 balls), however, kept Janakpur on the hunt. Janakpur needed 14 off the last over but could get only 10.
William Bosisto picked up two wickets, while Mark Watt, Pawan Sarraf, Nandan Yadav and Captain Kami chipped in with a wicket each.
With the win, Karnali ended the NPL 2025 in seventh position with four points from seven games, while Janakpur slumped to eighth with two points from seven matches.
