KATHMANDU, MARCH 10

Nepal Police Club advanced to the final of the Kathmandu Mayor's Cup Cricket Tournament here today.

The departmental side outplayed Kathmandu Mayor's XI by 109 runs in their last league round match. Batting first, NPC were bowled out for 197 runs in 47.4 overs before packing Kathmandu Mayor's XI for a paltry 94 runs with more than 18 overs remaining.

With their third win, NPC accumulated six points and are at the top of the table. Nepal APF Club are second on four points from three matches, while Tribhuvan Army Club, Bagmati Province and Kathmandu Mayor's XI have two each with one match each remaining.

Invited to take the first strike, NPC openers Sunil Dhamala and Kushal Bhurtel put up 56 runs on the board in eight overs before Harishankar Shah removed both of them in the space of three runs, both stumped by Khadak Bohora. Dhamala struck three fours and a six in his 24-ball 22, while Bhurtel scored a quickfire 34 off 29 balls hitting three each fours and sixes.

NPC batsmen failed to build partnerships but a couple of individual scores helped the team post fighting total. Yogendra Singh Karki scored 40 off 55 balls hitting four boundaries, while Pawan Sarraf scored 51-ball 28 with the help of three fours. Dipendra Singh Airee hit three boundaries in his 38-ball 24 and Dilip Nath contributed 12. Bipin Khatri, Harishankar Shah and Kathmandu Mayor's XI skipper Sandeep Lamichhane took three wickets each, while Anil Kharel grabbed one.

In reply, Kathmandu Mayor's XI were never in contention after they lost openers Harishankar Shah and Khadak Bohara with just 12 runs on the board. They were reduced to 33-5 inside 15 overs. Lamichhane was the top scorer with 17-ball 26 that included three fours and two sixes, while Krishna Karki (19) and Siddhant Lohani (18) were the only other two batsmen who contributed in double figures.

Pawan Sarraf was the pick of the NPC bowlers with the figures of 4-16 from 6.2 overs and the spell earned him the man-of-the-match award.

Dipendra Singh Airee claimed 3-18, while Lalit Rajbanshi took 2-18 and Sagar Dhakal pocketed one wicket. A version of this article appears in the print on March 11, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.