NPL: Foreign stars shine with bat, KC steers bowling as Biratnagar Kings soars (with photos)
A total of 59 catches have been taken across eight matches, with 40 players contributing.
KATHMANDU: The Nepal Premier League (NPL), cricket’s grand carnival in Nepal, observes a rest day today, following matches that began on Mangsir 1.
No games were scheduled today, with two matches planned for Monday after the break.
Out of 32 scheduled matches, eight have already been played. The points table currently sees Sudurpashchim Royals and Biratnagar Kings unbeaten.
Both teams, having played two matches each, sit atop the table with four points apiece. Kathmandu Gorkhas, with one win from three games, occupy third place.
Lumbini Lions, Chitwan Rhinos, and Karnali Yaks, each with one win in two matches, are fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.
Janakpur Bolts, having played only one match, remain pointless in seventh place, while Pokhara Avengers sit at the bottom after losing both their matches.
Players in Spotlight
Mark Watt of Karnali Yaks has delivered standout performances.
In the match against Lumbini Lions, Watt scored a blistering innings and contributed with both ball and fielding, taking two wickets and two catches to secure victory.
Nepal’s own Kushal Bhurtel has impressed with 112 runs across two matches, a wicket, and two catches, while Harmit Singh has scored 57 runs and taken four wickets.
Foreign Batsmen Dominate
Foreign players have dominated the batting charts in the first eight games. Among the top ten run-scorers, seven are overseas players.
Scotland’s Mark Watt tops the chart with 130 runs, including a century of 114 against Lumbini Lions.
England’s Ravi Bopara has scored 118 runs, including two half-centuries, while Nepali batsman Kushal Bhurtel also has two fifties and 112 runs.
Indian player Priyank Panchal has 102 runs, and Nepali Rohit Paudel has 88.
Other notable scorers include Martin Guptill and Lokesh Bam with 86 each, and England’s Ben Charlesworth with 86 runs.
Karan KC Leads Bowling
Kathmandu Gorkhas captain Karan KC leads the wicket-takers with six wickets, including a four-wicket haul against Sudurpashchim Royals.
Milind Kumar follows with five wickets, including three against Janakpur Bolts. Harmit Singh and Merchant de Lange have taken four wickets each. Several others, including Sandeep Lamichhane, Sompal Kami, and Jimmy Neesham, have three wickets apiece.
Strike Rates and Economies
Chitwan’s Saif Jab boasts the highest strike rate at 230.42, scoring 53 runs in two games. Mark Watt, Harmit Singh, and George Munsey also maintain strike rates over 200.
Economical bowling has been led by Nepal’s Sahab Alam, who concedes just 4.72 runs per over. Harmit Singh and Sandeep Lamichhane also maintain tight economies of 5.37 and 5.50, respectively. On the other hand, D’Arcy Short and Matt Taylor have the highest economies, conceding around 12 runs per over.
Catches and Fielding
A total of 59 catches have been taken across eight matches, with 40 players contributing.
Top catch-takers include Kushal Bhurtel, Sundeep Jora, Scott Kuggeleijn, and Mohammad Adil Alam, each with three catches.
Team Scores
Biratnagar Kings have recorded the highest team total in the tournament, scoring 220 for six in 20 overs against Pokhara Avengers.
Sudurpashchim Royals follow with 193 against Pokhara.
The lowest team score so far is Kathmandu Gorkhas’ 118, all out while chasing Sudurpashchim Royals.
