Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Nepal Police Club (NPC) ended Day 1 of the Jay Trophy Men’s Elite Cup fixture, trailing Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) by 24 runs at the TU International Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Batting first, NPC declared their innings at 187/8 in the three-day match. In reply, TAC declared at 234/9 with a lead of 47 runs. NPC were 23/1 in their second innings when the stumps were drawn.
Rashid Khan top-scored for the NPC in the first innings, getting 38 off 55 balls. Captain Aarif Sheikh contributed 36 off 41, while opener Kushal Bhurtel added 30 off 73 balls. Dilsad Ali scored 27, Sarwan Yadav 11, and Amit Shrestha 10, with Lalit Rajbanshi remaining unbeaten on 18.
Pawan Karki led the bowling for TAC with four wickets. Aakash Chand, Shahab Alam, Naren Saud, and Basir Ahamad picked up a wicket each.
Although TAC lost openers Trit Raj Das (14) and Imran Sheikh (5) cheaply in the chase, Bhim Sharki played a brilliant innings for TAC, scoring an unbeaten 105 off 113 balls to anchor his team’s reply. He received support at the other end from Pawan Karki (37) and Naren Saud (31).
Sagar Dhakal starred with the ball for NPC, claiming six wickets, while Lalit Rajbanshi took two and Kushal Bhurtel picked up one.
In the second innings, NPC lost opener Amit Shrestha (4). Kushal Bhurtel (12) and Shankar Rana (7) were at the crease when the stumps were drawn.
Aakash Chand picked up one wicket for TAC in the second innings.
Bagmati trail Nepal APF by 31 runs
Bagmati Province trail Nepal APF Club by 31 runs on Day 1 of the Jay Trophy fixture at the Mulpani International Cricket Grounds.
Batting first, Bagmati declared at 207 for the loss of nine wickets. In reply, Nepal APF was all out for 239. Bagmati were 1/1 in the second innings at the end of Day 1.
Bibek Magar top-scored for Bagmati with a 42 off 47 balls. Ashuthosh Ghiraiya and Rijan Dhakal scored 35 each, while Subh Kansakar made 34 and Surya Tamang added 27. Captain Ishan Pandey contributed 16, and Uttam Magar chipped in with 10 runs.
Irshad Ahama picked up three wickets for Nepal APF, while Yubraj Khatri and Rohit Paudel picked up two each, and Amar Routela and Abhishesh Gautam contributed one wicket each.
Captain Rohit Paudel scored an unbeaten 87 off 113 balls to script Nepal APF’s chase. He received support from Sandeep Jora, who made 61 off 48 balls. Deepak Bohora and Aasif Sheikh contributed 38 and 28, respectively.
Rijan Dhakal claimed three wickets for Bagmati, while Bipin Achrya and Syra Tamang picked up two each, and Tilak Bhandari and Captain Pandey had a wicket each to their names.
Paudel removed Bagmati opener Surya Tamang (1) early in the second innings.
