Prime Minister Cup: Police Secures Fourth Consecutive Victory

By Our Correspondent,Dang, Mar. 16: Nepal Police Club continued its dominance in the Prime Minister Cup One-Day Cricket Tournament, securing its fourth consecutive win with a commanding 193-run victory over Madhesh Province at Lamahi Cricket Ground on Saturday. With this win, Police has climbed to the top of the standings with eight points from four matches, having previously defeated Lumbini Province, Koshi Province, and APF Club. Meanwhile, Madhesh suffered its second consecutive loss in the competition.

Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Police posted a total of 288 runs in 49.5 overs before being bowled out. Captain Deependra Singh Airee led the innings with a solid 63 runs, while Arif Sheikh contributed 55, Arjun Saud added 47, Dilip Nath scored 45, and Shankar Rana and Rashid Khan chipped in with 27 and 14 runs, respectively. In response, Madhesh struggled from the start and was bowled out for just 95 runs in 26.1 overs. Dipesh Das was the top scorer for Madhesh with 31 runs, followed by Rupesh Singh with 16 and Vishal Patel with 13.

Police's bowling attack was led by Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, who took an impressive five wickets, while Kushal Bhurtel claimed two, and Karan KC, Sagar Dhakal, and Deependra Singh Airee took one wicket each. On the other hand, Madhesh’s bowlers, despite their team’s batting collapse, put up a fight, with Rupesh Singh securing four wickets, Vishal Patel taking three, Kamal Gupta grabbing two, and Ranjit Kumar adding one to his name.

In another match played at Siddhartha Cricket Ground in Rupandehi on Saturday, Tribhuvan Army Club continued its unbeaten streak, defeating Koshi Province by seven wickets. Chasing a target of 231 runs, Army reached 232 for the loss of three wickets in 47.1 overs, marking its fourth consecutive victory and securing eight points in the tournament. Meanwhile, Koshi Province faced its fourth straight defeat. The ongoing tournament features seven provincial teams and three departmental teams, all competing for the championship title.

Similarly, RSS adds, in Kathmandu, Madhes Province Police clinched the title of the first IGP Cup Cricket Tournament, defeating Lumbini Province in the final. In the championship match, held today at Mulpani Cricket Ground and organized by the Nepal Police Sports Committee, Madhes Province Police secured a 14-run victory over Lumbini Province.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Basanta Bahadur Kunwar presented medals, certificates, trophies, and cash prizes to the players and officials of the winning team.

In his address, IGP Kunwar emphasized the significance of sports in a security agency, highlighting the need for both physical and mental fitness. He expressed pride in Nepal Police athletes who get the opportunity to represent the nation and compete at national and international levels.