Arjun ton helps Gandaki defeat Lumbini, Sudurpashchim beat NPC

KATHMANDU: Sudurpashchim Province and Gandaki Province won their respective matches of the PM Cup Men’s National Cricket Tournament on Sunday.

Sudurpashchim defeated defending champions Nepal Police Club (NPC) by 56 runs, while Gandaki overcame Lumbini Province by eight wickets.

Sudurpashchim vs NPC
Batting first in Match No. 38 in Janakpur, Sudurpashchim scored a low total of 191 runs in 40.4 overs. However, they defended the low total by bundling out NPC for 135 runs in 35.1 overs.

The defeat dented NPC’s hopes of a top-four finish, while Sudurpashchim confirmed their place in the top four with 12 points from nine matches.

Although top-order batters of Sudurpashchim fell cheaply, the ever-dependable Naryan Joshi scored 82 off 80 balls to take the team’s total past 190 runs. Khadak Bohora scored 22, Hemant Dhami made 20, Ashok Dhami contributed 18, Kiran Thagunna chipped in with 17, and Raju Rijal added 16 to the team’s total.

Dinesh Kharel picked up four wickets for NPC, while Sagar Dhakal claimed three, Kushal Bhurtel accounted for two, and Gulsan Jha had a wicket to his name.

In reply, NPC were 5/48 in 11.5 overs chasing a target of 192 runs. Their top four batters added only 21 runs. Amit Shrestha, Captain Aarif Sheikh, and Dilsad Ali made 19 each, before Gulsan Jha offered some hope with a 50 off 64 balls. He eventually fell as the last wicket in 35.1 overs.

Hemant Dhami and Sher Malla picked up three wickets each for Sudurpashchim, while Narayan Joshi, Ashok Dhami, and Khadak Bohora chipped in with a wicket each.

Gandaki vs Lumbini
Batting first in Match No. 39 in Birgunj, Lumbini were all out for 207 runs in 45 overs. Gandaki chased down the target of 208 runs in 44.1 overs as Arjun Kumal scored a magnificent 103 off 130 balls.

Lumbini saw a batting collapse as half of their batters were back in the pavilion by 14.1 overs with just 48 runs on board. Of them, only Captain Dev Khanal (14) and Dinesh Bohora (20) managed to reach double digits. Santosh Yadav scored 82 off 67 balls to keep Gandaki on the hunt to take the score beyond 200 runs. He found support from Salahuddin Khan, who made 60 off 77 balls. Dinesh Sonar scored 11 off 24 balls.

Bipin Khatri claimed four wickets for Gandaki, while Aprajit Poudel took three, Cibrin Shrestha picked up two, and Bishow Karki accounted for a wicket.

Gandaki got off to a bright start in the chase of 209 runs as their openers added 95 runs for the first wicket. Arjun Kumal scored an unbeaten 103 off 130 balls for his second century of the tournament. He scored 13 fours and a six in his magnificent knock. Cibrin Shrestha made 43 off 77 balls, while Musktan Thapa scored 23 and Deepak Dumre contributed a not-out 25 off 27 balls.

Santosh Yadav and Dinesh Bohora picked up a wicket each for Lumbini.