Kathmandu, November 2
Kathmandu Gorkhas have recorded their first win in the Nepal Premier League (NPL), beating Karnali Yaks by four wickets. Thanks to fine batting from Rashid Khan and Karan KC.
In Monday’s first match, Kathmandu Gorkhas reached the target of 181 set by Karnali Yaks in 19.4 overs, losing six wickets.
Kathmandu, who had lost their first match to Janakpur, now have two points from two matches. It was Karnali’s first defeat after two straight wins.
Rashid Khan scored a half-century for Kathmandu. He made the top score of 50 off 34 balls, with three fours and two sixes.
Captain Karan KC batted explosively, hitting four fours and three sixes in a 44 off 20 balls.
Rashid built the foundation of Kathmandu’s win with two half-century partnerships, first with Adil Alam and then with captain Karan.
Australian star David Warner made his NPL debut, opening for Kathmandu the day after arriving in Nepal. Warner hit three fours in a 16 off 10 balls before Karnali captain Sompal Kami dismissed him. The other opener, Smit Patel, was out for nine, and Kathmandu were 28 for two. Rashid and Adil then added 54 for the third wicket.
Adil batted slowly, scoring 20 off 27 balls with one six. Bhim Sharki, who came in after him, was out for four. Rashid, who held one end together, then put on another half-century stand with captain Karan. The two added 55 runs in just 26 balls.
Rashid was dismissed in the 17th over, just after reaching his fifty. In the 18th over, Karan and Jahandad Khan added 15 runs to keep Kathmandu’s hopes alive. Karan was out in that over, leaving Kathmandu needing 21 off 12 balls.
In the 19th over, Jahandad hit Pawan Sarraf for two consecutive sixes. Kathmandu took 17 runs off the over and needed just four runs from the last over.
In the 20th over, Nandan Yadav bowled a dot ball first up, but Jahandad and Santosh Yadav then took successive singles. Jahandad took two runs off the fourth ball to seal the win. He finished unbeaten on 22 off 10 balls, with one four and two sixes.
For Karnali, captain Sompal Kami and Hussain Talat took two wickets each, while Mark Watt and Nandan Yadav took one each.
Earlier, Karnali lost the toss and batted first at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. They scored 180 for six in their 20 overs.
Opener Ariful Islam top-scored for Karnali with 44. He faced 22 balls and hit five fours and three sixes. Hussain Talat added 40 off 30 balls, with one four and two sixes.
Pawan Sarraf remained unbeaten on 30 off 23 balls, with the help of two sixes. Gulshan Jha contributed 20 off 12 balls, hitting two sixes.
Ariful opened the innings with Jishan Alam, another Bangladeshi player. Jishan, who had arrived in Nepal only on Sunday, played his first match for the team. He was out for seven with the team score at 20.
Ariful and Mark Watt then put on 46 runs for the second wicket.
Karnali slipped to 78 for four after losing Ariful, Deepak Dumre and Watt within 12 runs. Sarraf and Talat steadied the innings with a half-century stand for the fifth wicket. Talat was out hit-wicket off the last ball of the 17th over, after sharing a crucial 65-run partnership with Sarraf. Sarraf and Gulshan Jha then added 28 runs off 16 balls.
For Kathmandu, captain Karan KC took two wickets. Shahab Alam, Jahandad Khan, Dev Shah and Santosh Yadav took one each.
