Sudurpaschim Royals secure dominant win over Karnali Yaks (photos)
At the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Karnali Yaks were chasing a moderate target of 140 runs, but the innings collapsed to 94 all out in 19.2 overs.
KATHMANDU: Sudurpaschim Royals clinched a convincing victory over Karnali Yaks in the ongoing Nepal Premier League (NPL) on Monday, powered by an outstanding all-round performance from captain Dipendra Singh Airee.
At the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Karnali Yaks were chasing a moderate target of 140 runs, but the innings collapsed to 94 all out in 19.2 overs.
Airee led from the front, contributing 39 runs with the bat and delivering a match-winning four-wicket haul.
Karnali struggled throughout the chase. Pawan Sarraf top-scored with 27, followed by Mark Watt with 17, captain Sompal Kami with 14, and Gulshan Jha with 13. No other batter reached double digits, resulting in a disappointing finish for the side.
For Sudurpaschim, Airee’s four wickets were supported by Hermit Singh and Avinash Bohara, who took two wickets each.
Earlier, after losing the toss, Sudurpaschim posted 139/9 in 20 overs. Airee anchored the innings with 39, while Aarif Sheikh added 27 runs. Karnali captain Sompal Kami was the pick of the bowlers with 3 wickets, and Nandan Yadav took two.
Coach Basnet: ‘Key Batters Failed to Deliver’
Karnali Yaks’ head coach Raju Basnet blamed the defeat on the underperformance of the middle order. He said the team had capable batters who could have chased the target by playing out the full 20 overs.
Basnet clarified that the pitch was not difficult for batting and even helped batters in the final overs, as seen in Sudurpaschim’s innings. He added that with four matches still left, the team would fight hard to reach the playoffs.
Captain Airee: ‘Three Wins Give Us Momentum for Playoffs’
Sudurpaschim captain Dipendra Singh Airee praised his team for adapting well to the pitch conditions.
He said they knew from the first match that it was not going to be a high-scoring encounter, so they planned accordingly.
With three consecutive victories, Airee believes the team has gained significant momentum and put pressure on other sides in the race for the playoffs.
Although he admitted his batting performance could have been better, Airee said strong bowling from the team ensured the win.
He added that when the team performs well collectively, it boosts the captain’s confidence and motivates him to contribute more.
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