Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Karnali Yaks defeated Chitwan Rhinos by 24 runs in the league stage’s penultimate match of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) on Sunday.
The defeat ended the Rhinos’ chances of finishing third in the standings. They will now face either Sudurpaschim Royals or Kathmandu Gorkhas in Tuesday’s Eliminator.
Similarly, the win was Karnali’s third in the NPL. Although the Yaks started brightly, winning their first two matches, they then suffered four consecutive defeats that ended their playoff hopes. They, however, recorded a consolation win on Sunday, ending their 2026 NPL campaign on a high note.
Batting first in Match No. 27 at the TU International Cricket Stadium, the Yaks scored 153 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted 20 overs. They then restricted the Rhinos to 129 in 19.1 overs.
Hussain Talat top-scored for Karnali with a 33-ball 51, while opener Ariful Islam made 35 off 15 balls. The Yaks, however, lost their other top-order batters cheaply. Opener Sachin Sharma was out for a duck, Deepak Dumre made seven, and captain David Miller could manage only five. Gulsan Jha scored 18, while Pawan Sarraf contributed 15. The other Karnali batters failed to reach double digits.
Kamal Airee, Salahuddin Khan and Usama Mir took two wickets each for Chitwan, while Rijan Dhakal and Sikandar Raza picked up a wicket apiece.
Usama Mir top-scored for Chitwan with 28 off 23 balls in the chase of 154. Openers Kamil Mishara and Dev Khanal made 25 and 14, respectively, while Kushal Malla scored 18. Ashok Dhami chipped in with a wicket. The other Chitwan batters failed to reach double digits.
Hussain Talat picked up three wickets for Karnali, while Pawan Sarraf and Mark Watt took two each. Sompal Kami chipped in with a wicket.
