KATHMANDU, Nov 29: Lumbini Lions clinched a three-wicket victory over the Pokhara Avengers in the Nepal Premier League (NPL), securing their second win of the tournament in five matches.
Lumbini had earlier opened their campaign with a six-wicket win over Chitwan Rhinos but then stumbled with three consecutive defeats—losing to Karnali Yaks by nine wickets, Kathmandu Gorkhas by 22 runs, and Sudurpaschim Royals by seven wickets.
For Pokhara, this marked their third loss in four outings. They had suffered heavy defeats in their first two matches—by 53 runs to Biratnagar Kings and by 18 runs to Sudurpaschim Royals—before bouncing back with a 25-run win against Janakpur Bolts in their third fixture.
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On Saturday at Kirtipur’s TU Cricket Ground, Lumbini successfully chased down Pokhara’s 151-run target, reaching 152 for seven in 19.4 overs.
Captain Rohit Kumar Paudel led from the front with a composed 40 off 36 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes. From a shaky 22–2, he steadied the innings with Niroshan Dickwella, adding a vital 54-run partnership for the third wicket. Dickwella struck 37 off 22 balls, smashing two fours and two sixes.
Lumbini’s chase began poorly, with openers D’Arcy Short (7) and Sumit Maharjan (0) falling early. But Sandeep Jora’s unbeaten 25 off 22 balls (two fours, one six) and Gulbadin Naib’s quickfire 17 off 11 (two sixes) ensured Lumbini crossed the line comfortably.
For Pokhara, Bipin Khatri, Matt Taylor and Sagar Dhakal bagged two wickets each, while Jimmy Neesham claimed one.
Earlier, after losing the toss, Pokhara posted 150 for five in their allotted 20 overs. They endured a rough start, losing Dinesh Kharel and captain Kushal Bhurtel with just 15 runs on the board. Sumit Verma fell for a duck, while Tirtharaj Das managed only one.
However, a crucial 92-run stand for the fifth wicket between Jimmy Neesham and opener Adam Rossington revived the innings. Rossington top-scored with a brilliant 81 off 63 balls, blasting five sixes and seven fours. Neesham added a fluent 51, reaching his half-century with three sixes and three fours.
