PM Cup: Police reach final beating Karnali

KATHMANDU: Nepal Police Club secured their eighth consecutive victory in the Prime Minister’s Cup Men’s One Day National Cricket Tournament, defeating Karnali Province by 44 runs on Tuesday.

Karnali, chasing a target of 148 runs, was dismissed for 103 runs in 24 overs.

Karnali’s opening batter, Ravindra Jung Shahi, top-scored with 49 runs off 32 balls, including 7 fours and 2 sixes.

Middle-order batter Arjun Gharti contributed 30 runs off 42 balls, hitting 3 fours and 1 six. However, three of Karnali’s batsmen failed to score.

Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi played a pivotal role in dismantling Karnali’s innings, taking 6 wickets for just 41 runs in 9 overs.

With this remarkable performance, Lalit became the first bowler in PM Cup history to reach 100 wickets.

He achieved this milestone in his 40th innings since the tournament’s inception in 2017, claiming his 100th wicket in the 16th over by dismissing captain Diwan Pun.

In the history of PM Cup, Shahab Alam of Tribhuvan Army Club is in second place with 99 wickets, while Sher Malla of Sudurpashchim Province ranks third with 69 wickets.

Currently, Lalit is also the leading wicket-taker in the ongoing PM Cup, with 36 wickets from 8 matches.

Sudurpashchim’s Sagar Dhakal and Karan KC have taken 2 and 1 wicket, respectively.

Earlier, batting first after losing the toss, Nepal Police Club was all-out for 147 runs in 48 overs.

For Police, only Arjun Saud, Dilip Nath, and Sagar Dhakal managed to contribute, with Arjun scoring 36 runs off 60 balls, Dilip making 34 runs from 59 balls, and Sagar remaining unbeaten on 22 runs from 28 balls.

Shrawan Yadav added 11 runs, while the remaining batsmen failed to make double digits. Opener Kushal Bhurtel scored just 1, and captain Deependra Singh Airee failed to open his account.

Karnali’s bowlers, Anuj Chanara and Diwan Pun, performed economically, with Anuj taking 4 wickets for 29 runs in 10 overs, including 2 maiden overs, and Diwan claiming 3 wickets for 21 runs in 10 overs with 1 maiden.

Dinesh Adhikari, Deependra Raut, and Sunil Dhimal took 1 wicket each.

With this win, Nepal Police Club, with 16 points, has reached the final of the tournament.

They will face Tribhuvan Army Club, who are second with 14 points, in their final league match on Thursday.

With 12 points, APF is in third place after 8 matches.

Police Club has already secured a spot in the final, and one of Army or APF will join them.

Karnali Province finished fifth in the standings with 4 wins and 5 losses, thus ending their PM Cup campaign.