Janakpur edge Pokhara by nine runs to go second in NPL table

KATHMANDU: Janakpur Bolts registered their second win in the ongoing Nepal Premier League (NPL), defeating Pokhara Avengers by nine runs at the TU International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Sent in to bat first after losing the toss, the 2024 champions scored 147 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 20 overs. They then restricted Pokhara to 138/9 to move to second place in the points table.

Janakpur’s opening pair of Moeen Ali (21) and Trit Raj Das (61) added 47 runs for the first wicket. Although Trit Raj lacked support at the other end following Ali’s departure, he hit seven fours and two towering sixes to take Janakpur to a respectable total. Abhisekh Tiwari scored an unbeaten 24 off 10 balls, while James Neesham contributed a run-a-ball 11. Captain Harmeet Singh and Anil Sah chipped in with nine runs each.

Shakib Al Hasan claimed three wickets for Pokhara, conceding just 15 runs in his four-over spell. Chamika Karunaratne took two wickets, both in the final over, while Mahedi Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin picked up one wicket each.

Pokhara’s chase did not go as expected, as they lost opener Mahedi Hasan for eight off the first ball of the second over. Fellow opener Dinesh Kharel (3) fell in the fourth over. Although captain Kushal Bhurtel scored 35 off 24 balls, Pokhara lost wickets at regular intervals. Shakib fell for nine, Arjun Gharti made seven, and Kiran Thagunna managed 15. Bipin Acharya scored 20, while Bipin Khatri remained unbeaten on 17.

Moeen Ali claimed three wickets for Janakpur, while Harmeet Singh and Saif Hassan picked up two each. Lalit Rajbanshi and James Neesham also took a wicket each.

Two matches will be played in the NPL on Monday. In the first match, the unbeaten Karnali Yaks take on winless Kathmandu Gorkhas at 12:30 p.m. Chitwan Rhinos will face Sudurpashchim Royals in the second match at 5 p.m.