Pokhara, September 16 LCP Down Town defeated Parbat Titans by eight wickets to win the title of the first Machhapuchhre Cricket League here at the MCC grounds today. Opting to bat first, Parbat Titans scored 99-9 in their allotted 20 overs before Down Town reached 103-2 with 13 balls to spare. Parbat Titans made a confident start with openers Agendra Chhantyal and Paras Lamichhane adding 31 runs on the board inside seven overs before they lost three wickets in the space of three runs to be 34-3. Lamichhane, who top scored for Titans with 18 off 15 balls hitting a four and two sixes, was the first batsman to return to the pavilion, while Sahil Karki was dismissed for a duck and Chhantyal followed soon after scoring 13 runs. Abhishek Thapa and Deepen Rayamajhi added 27 runs for the fourth wicket before the middle and lower order faltered as the Titans were packed for below hundred. Thapa remained unbeaten on 15 off 27 balls, while Rayamajhi struck one each four and six on his 19-ball 16. Suraj Shrestha was the other batsman who contributed in double figures scoring run-a-ball 12. Himal Gaha and Biru Gurung took two wickets each for Down Town, while Raju Gurung and Parvin Pandey claimed one apiece. In reply, Down Town rode on half century from Sudeep Poudel to complete the chase. They had a disastrous start losing opener R Baral for a duck with four runs on the board but Poudel anchored the innings with an unbeaten 56 off 59 balls that includes a four and five sixes. After Down Town lost Lal Bahadur Thapa (eight), man-of-the-match Poudel and Arun Adhikari took the team home without further loss adding 59 runs for the unbroken third wicket partnership. Adhikari struck a four and two sixes in his unbeaten 27 off 23 balls. Paras Lamichhane and Agendra Chhantyal took one wicket each for Titans. Champions Down Town received Rs 300,000, while Titans got Rs 150,000 along with the trophies. Deepesh Khatri of Machhapuchhre Lions was declared the man of the series with 12 point and also bagged the best batsman’s award for his 179 runs, while Down Town’s Beeru Gurung — who took a total of 14 wickets — was named the best bowler. Khatri received Rs 20,000 and Rs 10,000 for the two individual awards, while Gurung earned Rs 10,000. SP Ashok Singh, President of Nepal Tourism and Hotel Management College Ashok Palikhe and Binod Lamichhane of Adarsh Nepal handed over the prizes to the winners of the tournament organised jointly by Machhapuchhre Cricket Club and Khukuri Ent.