Chitwan Rhinos Beat Biratnagar Kings by 8 Runs in NPL

Chitwan Rhinos beat Biratnagar Kings by eight runs at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Tuesday, defending a total of 157 for three in the second match of the Nepal Premier League season.

Biratnagar won the toss and chose to field. Dawid Malan top scored for Chitwan with 70 runs off 50 balls, hitting five fours and five sixes. Ravi Bopara finished unbeaten on 32 and Dan Mousley was not out on 29, while Dev Khanal made 12. Andre Russell, Angelo Mathews and Charith Asalanka took one wicket each for Biratnagar.

Airee breaks the chase

Biratnagar were bowled out for 149 in 19.3 overs, eight runs short of the target of 158. Opener Imran Sheikh made 39, Russell added 33 off 17 balls and Lokesh Bam scored 26, but the chase lost wickets at regular intervals and never recovered the run rate late in the innings.

Kamal Singh Airee led the Chitwan attack with four wickets for 26 runs in his four overs. Rijan Dhakal took two wickets, and Tom Taylor, Ranjit Kumar, Dan Mousley and Mausam Dhakal claimed one each.

What the result means

The win gave Chitwan two points from their opening match of the tournament. Chitwan play Lumbini Lions next on October 31, and Biratnagar face Sudurpaschim Royals on the same day.

The league double header continued in Kirtipur on Tuesday evening, with Janakpur Bolts playing Karnali Yaks at 5 p.m. The third edition of the Nepal Premier League opened on October 26, when Lumbini Lions beat Sudurpaschim Royals by seven wickets at the same ground. This season the league is using the Decision Review System for the first time in Nepali cricket, and the champion team will receive 15 million rupees.

Tournament picture

The match was the second of the season in a tournament that runs from October 26 to November 21, with all matches at the Tribhuvan University ground in Kirtipur and eight teams taking part. Lumbini Lions came into the season as defending champions. The Cricket Association of Nepal has raised the prize money this year: the champion receives 15 million rupees and the runner up receives 8 million rupees, according to the association. The league has also received international recognition from the International Cricket Council for the first time. The schedule continues on October 28, when Pokhara Avengers play Sudurpaschim Royals, and on October 29, when Janakpur Bolts play Kathmandu Gurkhas and Karnali Yaks play Biratnagar Kings.