Karnali inflict 7th consecutive loss on Koshi

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 24: Karnali Province handed Koshi Province its seventh continuous loss in the PM Cup Men’s National Cricket Tournament at Mulpani International Cricket Ground on Day 11. 

Put on to bat first, Koshi were bundled out in 34.3 overs with 151 runs on the scoreboard. Koshi reeled to 48/4 in 9th over as captain and opener Ankit Sutbedi (4 runs off 7 balls), Aaish Bhattarai (11 off 14), Sonu Ansari (8 off 19) and Suvan Gahataraj (0) returned to pavilion for cheap score.

It was Sujan Thapaliya who came to Koshi’s rescue once again. Thapaliya, who scored a century against Nepal Police Club on Day 4, scored 73 runs off 73 deliveries after entering the crease at four. He hit four maximums and eight fours. Thapaliya lacked support from his partner on the crease as the wickets kept on falling. Before he departed at the 34th over leaving the team at 143/8, Firdosh Ansari (6 off 13), Samir Karki (6 off 16) and Avyash Timsina (9 off 34) had returned to the pavilion. 

Saujan Ghimire, who came in at nine, was Koshi’s second highest scorer with 12 off 22 balls. He fell as the last wicket as Karnali’s bowlers bundled out Koshi at 151 runs in 34.3 overs.

Dinesh Adhikari took four wickets for Karnali while Prakash claimed three and Diwan Pun bagged two. Karnali only needed 28.3 overs to chase the target of 152 losing only four wickets. Wicketkeeper-batsman Arjun Gharti and Himanshu Shahi stayed not out and won the match for the team. Gharti reached his half-century and Shahi, who hit a six to settle the chase, scored 24 off 14.

Openers Bipin Shahi and Nischal Rawal scored 28 and 21 runs respectively. Hemant Rai took three wickets and Kamal Khatri took one for Koshi. 

Meanwhile, Bagmati tasted its third loss of the tournament playing its seventh match against Gandaki at the TU International Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

Electing to bat first, Bagmati’s openers Ashutosh Ghiraiya and Ishan Pandey were seen aggressive as the first wicket fell in the 21st over. Ghiraiya departed after scoring 44 off 69 leaving the team at 90/1.

After Ghiraiya’s return, wicket started to tumble as Pandey departed in the 23rd scoring 43 off 62. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rabin Joshi and Pratik Shrestha departed for a duck while captain Rit Gautam could only add 13 runs in 20 balls.

Ashok Poudel, Bipin Acharya and Surya Tamang added 30, 38 and 15 runs respectively to help Bagmati reach 198. Kamal Pariyar bagged four wickets, Amrit Gurung and Bipin Khatri claimed two each for Gandaki.

Karan Pangeni was Gandaki’s highest scorer in the chase where Bagmati’s bowlers tried defending the low target. He scored 79 off 98.

Openers Sameer Kandel and Ishwar Chhetri, Mushkan Thapa and Kamal Pariyar scored 19, 36, 27 and 20 runs respectively as Gandaki chased the target with three balls to spare. Pratish GC took two wickets while Rijan Dhakal, Surya Tamang and Bipin Acharya bagged one each for Bagmati.

In a departmental derby between Nepal APF Club and Tribhuwan Army Club at Bhairahawa Cricket Ground, which was reduced to 36 overs each due to bad weather, Army emerged victorious by four wickets.

Electing to field first, Army was able to send 10 batsmen of APF back to the pavilion at 121 runs in the 33rd over. Sompal Kami pocketed three wickets and Avinash Karn dismissed two batters. APF captain Rohit Paudel, also Nepal’s national team captain, was able to score a half century for the team. In the 103rd delivery he faced, Paudel was caught by Ahamad in the ball of Kami as the ninth wicket in 32.2 overs. He departed at 59 runs.

Only two other batsmen except Paudel – Sumit Maharjan (14 off 33) and Bhuvan Karki (16 off 20) – scored in double figures for APF. 

Army chased the target in the 24th over losing six wickets. Captain Binod Bhandari and Bibek Yadav stayed not out at 34 runs and two runs respectively. Openers Imran Sheikh and Santosh Karki added 16 and 11 runs respectively while Kushal Malla and Ahamad scored 19 and 18 runs respectively for Army.

Ramesh Kurmi took two wickets while Mousam Dhakal and captain Rohit bagged one each for APF. Winners Army, Karnali and Gandaki are at the fourth, sixth and eighth positions in the league respectively. Losing sides Bagmati, APF and Koshi are in the second, seventh and tenth 

positions respectively.