Kathmandu Gorkhas Loses Momentum

The Kathmandu Gorkhas team has recorded its second straight loss in the Siddhartha Bank Nepal Premier League (NPL) after being defeated by the Biratnagar Kings by five wickets in a recent fixture. The result follows the Gorkhas’ opening match win against Janakpur Bolts but confirms a recent downturn in form, with the team now holding a record of one win and two losses in the early stages of the tournament.

The Gorkhas were invited to bat first and struggled to achieve a competitive total, being restricted to 134 runs for the loss of six wickets in their allotted 20 overs. The team’s batting order, which saw three changes, failed to capitalize on opportunities, collapsing early in the innings.

Early Wickets Plague Kathmandu’s Innings

Biratnagar Kings’ bowler Merchant de Lange delivered an outstanding opening spell, taking two wickets and applying significant pressure to the Kathmandu top-order batsmen. Openers Aakash Tripathi was dismissed for zero runs, while new inclusions Gerhard Erasmus (10 runs), Ricardo Vasconcelos (3 runs), and Pratik Shrestha (2 runs) also fell cheaply. This left the Gorkhas in a precarious position at 29 runs for four wickets.

Late-order contributions from Ben Charlesworth (32 runs) and Santosh Yadav (26 runs) provided some stability. Ultimately, Mohammad Aadil Alam’s unbeaten 48 runs from 25 balls pushed the total past the 130-run mark, but the final score was considered insufficient to challenge the Biratnagar batting lineup effectively. Merchant de Lange was named the Player of the Match for his decisive bowling performance.

Biratnagar Kings Secure Second Victory

The Biratnagar Kings chased the moderate target with composure, achieving 135 runs for five wickets in just 17.1 overs. Openers George Munsey and Martin Guptill established a commanding position for the Kings. Munsey hit a rapid 36 runs from 16 balls, while Guptill added 25 runs, ensuring the required run rate remained manageable.

This win is the second consecutive victory for the Biratnagar Kings in the tournament. The Kings now sit in the top two of the league standings with four points, behind Sudurpaschim Royals on Net Run Rate (NRR), reinforcing their status as an early contender for the title. Conversely, the Kathmandu Gorkhas occupy a middle position in the table with two points.