NPC outplay Armymen in T20 cricket final

Janakpur, April 28

Nepal Police Club defeated Tribhuvan Army Club by 34 runs in the final of the Deepak Gupta Memorial T20 Cricket Tournament here at the Rangabhumi grounds today.

Put into bat first, NPC were bowled for 114 runs in 18.2 overs before packing TAC for 80 runs in 18.2 overs. Skipper Manjeet Shrestha scored 27 off 28 balls hitting three sixes, while Dipendra Singh Airee and Kushal Bhurtel added 19 runs each for NPC after they lost openers with only three runs on board. Lalit Bhandari cracked three sixes in his eight-ball 18.

TAC’s Sompal Kami, Sagar Pun, Bikram Sob and Sahab Alam claimed two wickets each, while Sushan Bhari took one.

In reply, Rajesh Pulami and Sagar Pun scored in double figures but TAC failed to reach the target. Pulami scored run-a-ball 31 hitting two sixes, while Pun’s 24-ball 14 included two fours. NPC’s Dipendra Singh Airee claimed three wickets, while Sunil Dhamala, Lalit Rajbanshi and Ram Naresh Giri took two wickets each. Lalit Bhandari bagged one wicket.

Along with the trophy, NPC received Rs 311,000, while TAC earned Rs 171,000. TAC’s Sagar Pun won the man-of-the-series award and he got Rs 31,000, while his teammate Sahab Alam got the best bowler’s award and earned Rs 21,000. NPC’s Aarif Sheikh was the best batsman and received Rs 21,000.

A total of eight teams from Nepal and India took part in the tournament organised by Dhanusha District Cricket Association.