Kathmandu, January 10
Biratnagar Super Kings defeated Janakpur Royals by 39 runs and advanced to the final of the NepalT20 Cricket League here at the TU Stadium today.
In the second qualifier, the Super Kings posted 167-6 in their allotted 20 overs before the Royals were packed for a paltry 128 runs with five balls to spare. The Super Kings will now play against Lumbini All Stars, who beat the Royals in first qualifier, in the final slated for Wednesday.
Biratnagar made a flying start with openers Gauranshu Sharma and Arjun Saud putting up 59 runs in seven overs before they lost two wickets in the space of seven runs. Saud hit two each fours and sixes in his 26-ball 35 before being dismissed, while skipper Rohit Paudel (one) fell cheaply.
Sharma and Hussain Talat then added 43 runs for the third wicket to take the team to 109-3 in 14.3 overs. Sharma hit two each fours and sixes in his 41-ball 42, while Talat struck five boundaries in his 21-ball 31. Raj Nannan scored a quick fire 33 off just 18 balls that included three boundaries and two sixes.
Amar Routela struck a six in his one-ball knock, while Prithu Baskota remained unbeaten on two as the duo added nine runs in the last three balls. Jitendra Mukhiya took two wickets for the Royals, while Sharafuddin Ashraf, Lalit Rajbanshi and Samiullah Shinwari grabbed one each.
In reply, the Royals lost opener Sharafuddin Ashraf (four) in the first over with four runs on the board but skipper Treven Griffith and Chadwick Walton revived the innings with a 56-run partnership for the second wicket.
Walton top scored with 51 off 47 balls that included six boundaries, while Griffith hit four boundaries and a six in his 24-ball 34.
After player-of-the-match Nannan trapped Walton leg before the wicket, the Royals batters faltered and they lost the remaining six wickets in the space of just 12 runs. Koen Joseph was the pick of the Super Kings bowlers taking 3-27, while Nandan Yadav (2-19) and Nannan (2-28) shared four wickets between them. Hussain Talat also bagged a wicket.
A version of this article appears in the print on January 11, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
