Simpson-Milind partnership guides Kathmandu Gorkhas to win over Chitwan Rhinos

KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Gorkhas coach Basanta Shahi credited the partnership between Milind Kumar and John Simpson for their team’s win over Chitwan Rhinos.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Shahi said the duo’s collaboration provided the foundation for victory despite a slow start.

Shahi noted that the spinners made batting challenging, and chasing totals above 140 runs would be difficult.

He expressed concern over losing 4–5 wickets in the final 2–3 overs but remained confident that the team would address these issues in upcoming matches.

He added that he believes the team can defend a target of 140 runs.

The coach praised captain Karan for his leadership and highlighted that both batting and bowling departments performed well.

He emphasized the importance of Simpson’s wicket in securing the win and expressed hope that the team will continue to win and climb the league table.

Chitwan Rhinos’ Dev Khanal acknowledged that while the bowling was strong, lapses in batting cost them the match.

He said that the team cannot rely solely on Ravi Bopara and that domestic players also need to perform consistently.

Khanal pointed out that, similar to Simpson and Milind, Chitwan’s players also failed to step up when required.

He further observed that wickets became slower as the game progressed and admitted that both he and Kushal Malla had responsibilities that they couldn’t fulfill fully.

He stressed the need for Nepalese players to match the performance of foreign players, noting that the team underperformed relative to its potential.

Shahi concluded that the team’s inability to build partnerships remains a weakness to address in future matches.