Biratnagar Kings opened their Nepal Premier League account in style, chasing down the highest total of the tournament so far to secure a thrilling two-wicket victory over Lumbini Lions at the TU International Cricket Ground on Wednesday. Lokesh Bam’s spectacular knock of 71 off 47 balls proved instrumental in the historic chase, which was completed with just one ball to spare.
Lions Set the Bar High
Asked to bat first, the Lions posted a formidable 191/8, propelled by key contributions from captain Rohit Paudel (46 off 29) and Tom Moores (30 off 19). The team got off to a flying start, reaching 56/1 by the end of the powerplay. Moores targeted left-arm spinner Anil Kharel in the 12th over, smashing three sixes to accelerate the innings.
The Lions late surge came courtesy of Bibek Yadav, who hammered three sixes in the last five balls he faced, including two in the final over bowled by Basir Ahamad. However, poor communication led to four run-outs, dampening Lumbini’s momentum.
Biratnagar’s bowlers had mixed fortunes, with Sandeep Lamichhane, Ismat Alam, and Rajesh Pulami each taking a wicket, but their fielding woes were evident, conceding a costly 29 extras.
Kings Resilient Chase
The Kings chase began with an experimental move, sending Ismat Alam to open alongside Lokesh Bam, but it backfired as Alam was dismissed for a duck by Ramon Simmonds in the first over. Bam then paired with Martin Guptill to steady the innings, their 50-run partnership keeping the chase alive.
Guptill (28) fell to left-arm pacer Durgesh Gupta, triggering a collapse as Rajesh Pulami (4) and Nicholas Kirton (0) departed in quick succession. However, Bashir Ahmad’s gritty 40 provided crucial support to Bam, who anchored the innings with a brilliant 71, laced with three fours and six towering sixes.
The game came down to the final over, with the Kings needing 16 runs. Bibek Yadav, tasked with defending the total, started with two wides but picked up Sandeep Lamichhane’s wicket. Enter Chris Sole, who smashed a match-winning 14 off 4 balls to seal the victory for Biratnagar.
Standout Performances
For the Lions, Durgesh Gupta shone with the ball, taking 3/21 in his four overs. Despite Bibek Yadav’s explosive finish with the bat, his bowling proved expensive, leaking 64 runs in 3.5 overs.
Upcoming Fixtures
Lumbini Lions will look to bounce back when they face Pokhara Avengers on Friday. Meanwhile, Biratnagar Kings will aim to build momentum against Karnali Yaks on Saturday.
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