Kathmandu Gurkhas, Biratnagar Kings break deadlock in nail-biting clashes

Kathmandu, Dec. 5: The Kirtipur-based Tribhuvan International Cricket Ground marked two nail-biting clashes, on Wednesday, where Kathmandu Gurkhas and Biratnagar Kings broke the deadlock and registered their respective first win in the Nepal Premier League (NPL).

While Kathmandu Gurkhas was playing their second match of the NPL after losing the first one, Biratnagar Kings was playing its third match after two consecutive losses. 

Playing with a must-win mentality, Kathmandu outperformed Karnali Yaks while chasing a decent total. On the other hand, Biratnagar rose from the ashes to chase the highest target of the tournament so far.

Now, Karnali Yaks are on a streak of losses. They had lost their first game against Janakpur Bolts on Monday. 

Gabbar’s contribution insufficient

Former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan, aka Gabbar, is one of the biggest names in the NPL. Playing for Karnali, Shikhar, however, could not deliver in the first game against Janakpur; he was clean bowled at 14 runs (14 deliveries). 

But the ‘Gabbar-storm’ arrived at TU Ground on Wednesday. Dhawan hit five sixes and four fours to contribute 72 off 51; moreover, he stayed not out for the whole 20 overs. His 72 runs helped Karnali post 149 runs on the board in the loss of five wickets after being invited to bat first.

Dhawan lacked a proper partnership from the other end, disallowing him to open his hands from the beginning. Yet, as he kept spending time on the crease, he started getting aggressive and delivered before a loud crowd in the morning.

Kathmandu had used seven bowlers against Karnali, with Gerhard Erasmus bagging two and Karan KC, Nathan Sowter and Dipesh Kandel taking one each.

The total did not feel sufficient numerically, but Karnali showed it was defendable until the 8th over. Kathmandu was at 41/4 after losing Bhim Sharki in 7.1 overs, with only Michael Levitt (22 off 19) scoring in double figures in the top order.

It was Erasmus, the experienced Namibian, who brought Kathmandu back to the chase. Before departing as the fifth wicket in 15.5 overs, Erasmus’ 38 off 28 took Kathmandu to 98. Then, it was skipper Karan KC (28 off 18) who partnered with Sumit Maharjan and helped take the team to 143/6 at the end of the 19th over.

KC departed at a crucial moment but Maharjan, with two fours in the final over, sealed the first victory for the Gurkhas as they reached 153 runs with three balls and three wickets remaining. Maharjan was the player of the match for his match-winning inning. 

Bipin Sharma, the 16-year-old selected from a talent hunt by Karnali, bowled a four-over spell, took a wicket and gave only 18 runs, showing his potential before the world. 

Biratnagar rise from ashes

The nail-biting clash between Karnali and Kathmandu was shadowed by the second match of Day 4, the encounter between Biratnagar Kings and Lumbini Lions.

Lumbini was playing its first game of the NPL while Biratnagar was at TU Ground for its third game. But the latter was in a poor state after two repeated losses.

“Since early morning, I was saying to myself and my friends that I would help the team to win today’s match. It was in my head every time. I could not help the team win, but my teammates backed me up,” said Lokesh Bam in the post-match conference after Biratnagar won its first game by chasing the mammoth target of 192 runs.

Lumbini’s batting order responded with a massive total when Biratnagar invited them to bat first.  

Lumbini’s openers – Ashutosh Ghiraiya (15 off 13) and Arjun Saud (17 off 19) – gave a decent performance while skipper Rohit Kumar Paudel, in-at-three, boosted the scorecard. Lumbini was at 64 when Saud departed as the second wicket in 7.2 overs. 

Paudel fell short of four runs for his half-century but took the team to 131/3 while departing at 12.5 overs. Tom Moores’ 30 off 17 and supportive innings from in-at-eight Bibek Yadav (19 off 7) helped Lumbini score the highest total of the NPL in their debut.

Lumbini lost four of its wickets as run-outs while Sandeep Lamichhane took his first wicket in three games. Ismat Alam and Rajesh Pulami took one each as Biratnagar restricted Lumbini to 191/7 in the first inning.

Biratnagar had scored 127 in the first game against Janakpur while they were bundled for 92 runs in the chase against Sudurpaschim. Thus, Biratnagar was not expected to chase the mammoth 192.

But Lokesh Bam, Martin Guptill and Basir Ahamad rescued the team before Chris Sole came in the final over to help Biratnagar win the dramatic chase.

Guptill was replaced by Ismat Alam as Bam’s opening partner in the third game but Alam departed for a duck in the first over. Starting at three, Guptill and Bam took the team to a 50+ score in the first powerplay. 

With six fours, Guptill scored 28 off 17 before departing at 7.1 overs leaving Biratnagar at 64/2. His departure was the biggest blow, but Bam’s presence was keeping Biratnagar alive.

Biratnagar then lost two more wickets in quick succession in the form of Rajesh Pulami (4 off 10) and Nicholas Kirton (0 off 1). But in-at-six Basir came to the rescue as he partnered for over 70 runs with Bam.

Basir scored 40 runs in 23 deliveries with four fours and a six. When he departed in 16.2 overs, Biratnagar was at 149/6. 

Moreover, when Bam, with 71 off 47 (3 fours, 6 sixes) followed Basir in the next over, the team required 29 off 14. But the departure of Pratish GC and Sandeep Lamichhane in the final two overs raised the hope for Lumbini.

Nevertheless, Chris Sole (14 off 4), with a six and two fours in the final three deliveries helped Biratnagar chase the humongous target with one ball in hand. 

“The partnership between Lokesh and Basir was the game changer,” said Paudel, in the post-match conference. 

Similarly, responding to why Bibek Yadav, who had given 48 runs in the first three overs, was given the final over, Paudel said, “We did not use Ben Cutting as he was not fit for bowling. I did not take the last over because Bibek Yadav was a better bowler. We failed today but we will come back stronger in the next.”

Lumbini have continuous fixtures waiting for them and Paudel said it was a pressure because T20 is an intense game that tires the players.

Meanwhile, the game between Janakpur Bolts and Pokhara Avengers will be followed by the confrontation between Kathmandu Gurkhas and Sudurpaschim Royals on Thursday.