Army ends Police’s 18-match unbeaten streak at PM Cup

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Mar. 28: Nepal Police Club's remarkable 18-match winning streak came to an end as Tribhuwan Army Club handed the defending champions their first defeat of the Men's PM Cup 2025 with a four-wicket victory in Bhairahawa on Thursday.

Police were unbeaten in the 2024 PM Cup, winning all 10 matches. They continued their dominance in the 2025 edition with eight consecutive wins until Army stopped them at the Extra Tech Oval. This marked Police's first loss since their two-wicket defeat to Army in the 2023 PM Cup semi-final.

With this win, Army has set up a rematch against Police in the final on Saturday. Police had defeated Army by six wickets to lift the PM Cup 2024 title at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.

Army secured 16 points, the same as Police, to finish second in the group stage, although Police edged ahead on net run rate. Both teams won eight out of nine group matches. Army's only loss was a three-wicket defeat to Madhes Province.

Army's win also dashed finals hope of three-time champions APF Club, who finished third with 14 points from seven wins.

The top two teams from the group stage have now set up the final showdown of the PM Cup on Saturday. Police, the defending champions, will aim for their third PM Cup title, having won in 2019 and 2024. Meanwhile, 2021 champions Army will be eyeing their second title.

After opting to field first at the Extra Tech Oval, Army bowled out Police for 148 runs in 41.4 overs and chased the target in 41 overs, losing six wickets.

Bibek Yadav guided Army to victory with an unbeaten 41 runs off 45 deliveries, smashing five fours and a six. Captain Binod Bhandari remained not out with 13 runs.

Opener Trit Raj Das provided a brisk start with 25 runs off 22 balls, including five boundaries. Santosh Karki added a patient 22 off 53 balls with two fours and a six. Bhim Sharki contributed 23 runs off 61 balls, while Basir Ahmad chipped in with 12 runs.

Lalit Rajbanshi's four-wicket haul couldn't stop Army. The PM Cup's leading wicket-taker, Lalit, conceded 34 runs in 10 overs and took his tally to 40 wickets in this edition. He leads the all-time PM Cup wicket-taker list with 107 wickets. Dipendra Singh Airee and Karan KC claimed one wicket each for Police.

Earlier, Police batters struggled against Army's spinners. Despite Captain Dipendra Singh Airee's explosive half-century, other batters faltered, leaving Police with a below-par total. 

Dipendra smashed three fours and two sixes to complete his 50 runs off 37 balls. Aarif Sheikh (22), Gulshan Jha (17), Arjun Saud (13), and Sagar Dhakal (unbeaten 16) were the only other double-digit scorers.

Shahab Alam, Player of the Match, led the spin attack, claiming four wickets. Shahab reached the 100-wicket milestone in the PM Cup, becoming the second player to achieve this after Lalit. Shahab now has 103 wickets from 51 innings. He has 28 wickets in this edition.

Naren Saud claimed three wickets, while Kushal Malla and Bhim Sarki took one each.

In another match, Madhes Province defeated Bagmati Province by four wickets at Siddharthanagar. Despite the loss, Bagmati finished fourth with four wins and five defeats, edging Karnali, Lumbini, and Madhes on net run rate. Madhes ended their PM Cup campaign in seventh place.

Batting first, Bagmati posted 259 runs for eight wickets in 50 overs, riding on Ishan Pandey's century. Madhes chased down the target in 46.1 overs, losing six wickets.

Captain Anil Sah anchored Madhes's chase with an unbeaten 70 off 53 balls, hitting seven fours and two sixes. Rupesh Singh remained not out with 25. Rohan BK (39), Harishankar Shah (33), Pawan Sarraf (31), Dipesh Das (19), Shailendra Sah (16), and Bishal Patel (13) contributed to Madhes's victory.

Surya Tamang took two wickets for Bagmati, while Rijan Dhakal, Gautam KC, Bipin Acharya, and Ishan Pandey bagged one each.

Ishan top-scored for Bagmati with a brilliant century, hitting 114 runs off 127 balls with 14 boundaries. He became the third batter to score a century in this edition, following Kiran Thagunna, Trit Raj, and Arjun Kumal. Sudur Paschim's Kiran hit two centuries.

Rijan Dhakal and Bibek Magar chipped in with 30 runs each, while Bipin Acharya (27), Shubh Kansakar (20), and Gautam KC (10 not out) made useful contributions. Harishankar Shah, Pawan Sarraf, and Anil Sah took two wickets each for Madhes.