Lions joins Royals, Gorkhas and Kings in play-offs

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Dec. 6: Lumbini Lions defeated Janakpur Bolts by four wickets on Friday to book their place in the play-offs of the second season of the Nepal Premier League.

With this victory, the four play-off teams have now been confirmed. Lumbini, who collected eight points from four wins and three defeats, joined Sudur Paschim Royals, Kathmandu Gorkhas and Biratnagar Kings in the play-offs.

The win also dashed the hopes of Pokhara Avengers, Chitwan Rhinos and Janakpur Bolts. With one game in hand, both Pokhara and Chitwan sit fifth and sixth respectively on four points apiece. 

Defending champions Janakpur prop up the table with just two points from one win and five losses, while seventh-placed Karnali Yaks also have two points from one win and five defeats.

Leading the table with 12 points from six wins Sudur Paschim have already secured a berth in Qualifier 1. 

They face Biratnagar in Saturday’s opening fixture, which will be their last league match. 

Chitwan and Pokhara meet in a dead rubber in the second match on Saturday.

Third-placed Biratnagar, with eight points from six matches, still have a chance to leapfrog Kathmandu into second spot if they beat Sudur Paschim by a big margin and improve their net run rate. 

If the table remains unchanged, Sudur Paschim and Kathmandu will contest Qualifier 1 on 9 December, while Biratnagar and Lumbini will face off in the Eliminator on 10 December.

At TU Cricket Ground, Janakpur elected to bat first but struggled throughout their innings, posting a modest 132 for six. Lumbini chased down the target with 136 for six and five balls to spare.

After losing opener Sumi Maharjan for a duck, D’Arcy Short steadied the innings with a 61-run stand alongside skipper Rohit Paudel. Short made 30 off 24 before falling as the second wicket in the eighth over, while Paudel top-scored with 34 off 32.

Niroshan Dickwella chipped in with 17, JJ Smit added 21, and Dilip Nath remained unbeaten on 15 off 13. Ruben Trumpelmann also stayed not out on six to see Lumbini home comfortably.

For Janakpur, Sangeeth Cooray picked up three wickets, while Mayan Yadav bagged two. Earlier, Cooray had top-scored with an unbeaten 45, but wickets fell at regular intervals as Janakpur slumped to 83 for six by the 14th over. 

Yadav contributed a useful 27 not out from the tail, while Aasif Sheikh (20), Shubh Kansakar (11) and Sanjay Krishnamurthi (14) were the only other batsmen to reach double figures.

For Lumbini, Sher Malla and captain Paudel claimed two wickets apiece, while Smit and Abhishesh Gautam chipped in with one each.