Biratnagar Kings has defeated Chitwan Rhinos by 51 runs dealig a blow to the latter's journey to the playoff of the ongoing Nepal Premier League (NPL).
Biratnagar, which was almost eliminated from the top four race, has won its second match in the sixth match and has collected four points in the points table. Biratnagar has won two and lost four matches.
Biratnagar is taking on Kathmandu Gurkhas in its last match of the NPL. Kathmandu is eying the top-four place by outplaying Biratnagar.
Even if Biratnagar wins their final match, it won't be sufficient to secure a top-four finish. The outcomes of other matches, particularly between Kathmandu and Pokhara, will significantly impact its chances. Additionally, the results and net run rate of Chitwan's match will play a crucial role in determining Biratnagar's fate.
Meanwhile, the loss to Biratnagar has dealt a blow to Chitwan's playoff journey. Chitwan will play against Janakpur Bolts in its last match of the league tomorrow, Saturday. Janakpur has already reached the playoffs. Chitwan will definitely have a tough time beating Janakpur, a strong contender for the title in the NPL.
Chitwan, who has won 3 and lost 3 out of 6 NPL matches, remains in fourth place with 6 points. With Chitwan losing in the last match as well, the results of Kathmandu, Pokhara and Karnali will also have an impact.
A loss in the final match could affect its ranking, as the results of Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Karnali will determine its final ranking.
Biratnagar restricted Chitwan to 130 runs with the loss of 6 wickets while the latter was chasing the 182-run target set.
To stop Chitwan from reaching the target, Sandeep Lamichhane took the highest 2 wickets followed by Basir Ahamad, Subash Bhandari, Lokesh Bam and Chris Sole with 1 wicket each.
Earlier, electing to bat first after winning the toss, Biratnagar Kings notched up mammoth 181 runs losing 5 wickets in the allotted 20 overs.
This was the third-highest target set in the current NPL. Earlier, Lumbini and Sudurpaschim had set targets of 192 and 183 runs, respectively, both against Biratnagar.
To set such a mammoth target, Basir Ahamad topped the score with 68 runs, hitting 4 fours and 4 sixes off 44 balls followed by Martin Guptill with 45 runs while Rajesh Pulami contributed 33 runs. The other batsmen could not achieve significant runs.
In reply, Rijan Dhakal took the highest 2 wickets while Sohail Tanvir, Basil Hameed and Kushal Malla grabbed 1 wicket each for Chitwan.
.
