Airee half-century powers Sudurpaschim to first NPL win

KATHMANDU: Sudurpaschim Royals earned their first win in the 2026 Nepal Premier League (NPL) with a six-wicket victory over Pokhara Avengers at the TU International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Batting first after losing the toss in Match No. 4, Pokhara Avengers scored 145 runs for the loss of seven wickets. Sudurpaschim chased down the target in 16.5 overs with six wickets in hand, as Captain Dipendra Singh Airee scored a beautiful half-century.

Although Pokhara lost opener Dinesh Kharel (4) cheaply, fellow opener Mahedi Hasan (32) added 35 runs for the second wicket with captain Kushal Bhurtel (21). Pokhara stumbled after Bhurtel’s departure as their middle-order batters failed to build the innings. Bangladeshi allrounder Shakib Al Hasan fell for 14, while Sri Lankan duo Sadeera Samarawickrama and Dhananjaya Lakshan scored just eight and 11, respectively. Arjun Gharti scored an unbeaten 40 off 25 balls to take Pokhara past 140. Bipin Khatri remained unbeaten on five.

Anil Kharel picked up three wickets for Sudurpaschim, while Hemant Dhami, Scott Kuggeleijn and captain Airee took a wicket each.

Sudurpaschim suffered an early setback in the chase as they lost opener Binod Bhandari (4) in the very first over of the match. However, Saif Zaib (15) and Brandon McMullen (22) steadied the innings before captain Airee scored a superb 51 off 36 balls. He hit four fours and two towering sixes in his unbeaten knock. Airee found support at the other end from Ishan Pandey, who scored 37 off 31 balls. Sherfane Rutherford remained unbeaten on eight.

Dhananjaya Lakshan, Mahedi Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan bagged a wicket each for Pokhara.

The win lifted Sudurpaschim to fourth place in the standings, while Pokhara sit seventh, just above Kathmandu Gorkhas, who have yet to play.

The Royals suffered a seven-wicket defeat to Lumbini Lions in their first match of the NPL 2026.

Janakpur Bolts will face Kathmandu Gorkhas at 12:30 p.m. in the first match on Thursday, while Biratnagar Kings take on Karnali Yaks in the second match at 5 p.m.