Sudurpashchim Royals started their campaign in the Nepal Premier League with a remarkable win, overpowering Kathmandu Gorkhas by 29 runs at TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Wednesday. The strong performance displayed their power and made them early contenders in the tournament.
The win has set a very good and positive tone for the Sudurpashchim Royals in their NPL journey. The opening triumph has given them a chance to show that they can actually compete at the highest level of Nepal’s premier cricket competition.
Kathmandu was bowled out for 118:
The Nepal Premier League journey of the Sudurpashchim Royals began on a good note with a win on Wednesday, when they beat the Kathmandu Gorkhas by 29 runs at the TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. The Royals, who were asked to bat first, overcame a shaky start and managed to reach 147 all out in 20 overs.
The top performer was Harmeet Singh, who scored a fantastic 53 in just 20 balls, hitting two fours and four sixes. Captain Dipendra Singh Airee played a calm and collected innings and scored 39 off 30 balls, which helped the team to build the innings. Kathmandu’s captain Karan KC was a fearsome bowler, with bowling figures of 4 for 30, and he almost toppled the Royals’ batting.
Kathmandu’s response to the 148 runs was total disintegration; they could manage only 118 runs in 16.5 overs and lost the wickets of their players at regular intervals. The opening batsman, Aakash Tripathi, was the lone warrior for the batting side with his 34 coming off 30 balls with the help of a four and two sixes before he got out to Harmeet Singh.
John Simpson contributed 24 off 18 balls to the team’s total, but mentorship was lacking from the rest of the batting order and hence they could not make important partnerships. Hemant Dhami, Scott Kuggeleijn, and Harmeet Singh were the bowlers who took two wickets apiece each, thus continuously tightening the noose around the Royals’ control in the course of the chase.
At the end of two matches, both teams have 2 points each. Earlier in the tournament, Kathmandu’s first victory was against Janakpur Bolts, while Sudurpashchim’s win makes it clear that they are indeed strong contenders in the competition.
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