Kathmandu Gorkhas defeated defending champions Janakpur Bolts by five wickets in the opening match of Nepal Premier League (NPL) Season 2 at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Monday, November 17.
The Gorkhas chased the target of 131 in 18 overs. A solid 70-run opening stand laid the foundation for their victory. Opener Aakash Tripathi scored 39 off 45 balls, while his partner, Ben Charlesworth, blazed a rapid 46 off 23, hammering three sixes and five fours.
Bhim Sharki, batting at No. 3, fell for just 3, but Milind Kumar (19) and John Simpson (13) kept the chase steady. The Gorkhas briefly wobbled when they lost two wickets in two balls with only nine runs required from the final three overs. However, Mohammad Aadil Alam held his nerve, finishing the job with an 8-run cameo off four deliveries.
For the Bolts, Kishore Mahato, Anil Sah, Lalit Rajbanshi, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, and Sanjay Krishnamurthi claimed one wicket each.
Sent in to bat after losing the toss, Janakpur Bolts started well, reaching 33 without loss in the first four overs. But their momentum evaporated with a sudden collapse, losing four wickets for just 13 runs.
Opener Lahiru Milantha managed only 7 off 12, while captain — and birthday boy — Anil Shah fell for a duck, reducing the Bolts from 33/0 to 34/2 within five deliveries. Soon after, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton and Sanjay Krishnamurthi departed for 2 apiece, leaving the champions reeling at 46/4 in the ninth over.
Despite the chaos, opener Aasif Sheikh anchored the innings with a composed 54 off 41, striking one six and six fours. He received late support from Mayan Yadav, who contributed an unbeaten 34 off 29, and Lahiru Samarakoon with 22 off 21, guiding Janakpur to 130/6 in their 20 overs.
Milind Kumar starred with the ball for the Gorkhas, returning figures of 3/15 from his four overs. Skipper Karan KC, Shahab Alam, and Santosh Yadav took a wicket each.
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