Lions launch NPL title defence in style – The Himalayan Times – Nepal’s No.1 English Daily Newspaper

KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 26

Defending champions Lumbini Lions thumped Sudurpashchim Royals by seven wickets in the opening match of the Siddhartha Bank Nepal Premier League (NPL) here at the TU International Cricket Ground today.

The match between the two finalists of the previous edition was supposed to be a nail-biting one, but it turned out to be a one-sided affair after the Lions skipper Rohit Paudel elected to field first.

Put into bat first, the Royals – led by T20 national team captain Dipendra Singh Airee, who is fondly known as Tiger – were bowled out for a paltry 87 runs in 17.2 overs, before the Lions raced to 88-3 with 61 balls to spare.

The Royals made a positive start with openers Saif Zaib and Binod Bhandari putting up 24 runs in the first three overs, but they were reduced to 28-3 in no time. Bhandari was the first to depart, after he was trapped leg before by Sher Malla in the first ball of the fourth over, while Kishore Mahato dismissed Aarif Sheikh (naught) and Brandon McMullen (two) in the space of two balls in the next over.

The Royals continued to struggle to score runs and kept on losing wickets at regular intervals as they came under pressure at 38-4 in the first powerplay and then to 58-7 at the halfway stage. Skipper Dipendra Singh Airee top scored with 23-ball 27 hitting two fours, while Anil Kharel was the next best at 15 not out. Opener Zaib (13) was the only other batter to contribute in double figures for the Royals.

Mahato was the pick of the Lions bowlers taking 4-14 from four overs, while playerof-the-match Malla grabbed 3-11. Shadley van Schalkwyk, Tilak Bhandari and Rohit Paudel bagged one wicket each.

The Lions made a flying start to their chase with D’Arcy Short hitting Scott Kuggeleijn for a six in the first ball of the innings. Short and Aasif Sheikh batted with quite ease in the second innings and they added 70 runs in the first powerplay. The Lions then lost three wickets in quick succession but the job was already done.

Short struck four boundaries and three sixes in his 18ball 40, while Sheikh scored 32 off 25 balls with the help of two fours and as many sixes. Paudel hit his Royals counterpart Airee for the winning boundary to complete the formality in the 10th over. Anil Kharel took two wickets and Airee bagged one for the Royals.

DRS MAKES DEBUT

Both the Lions and Royals made full use of the Decision Review System (DRS), which was introduced in the country for the first time. Lions skipper Paudel challenged the on-field umpire’s decision early in the match.

Bangladeshi umpire Masudur Rahman turned down an LBW appeal from Sher Malla and the team, and skipper Paudel signalled for the challenge to a loud cheer from the crowd. After thorough replays and reviews, TV umpire Prageeth Rambukwella stayed the decision. Though Paudel’s challenge did not go in his side’s favour, the former Nepal national team skipper became the first cricketer to challenge the umpire’s decision in the NPL.

The DRS, however, turned out to be a nightmare for Nepal’s ICC umpire Buddhi Pradhan after the reviews overturned his decisions on three occasions.

PM INAUGURATES NPL-3

The opening ceremony of the third edition of the NPL saw a good number of high-profile guests, including Prime Minister Balendra Shah, Education and Sports Minister Sasmit Pokharel and National Sports Council Member Secretary Ram Charitra Mehta.

PM Shah entered the stadium to a huge cheer from the crowd and he inaugurated the tournament by handing over the match ball to match referee Wendell Labrooy.

Accompanied by CAN President Chatur Bahadur Chand and Secretary Paras Khadka, PM Shah shook hands with the players of the two teams and he also watched the match for more than an hour.

CHAMPIONS TO GET RS 15M

A total of eight franchise-based teams are competing in the tournament, organised by Cricket Association of Nepal under the main sponsorship of Siddhartha Bank Limited. The teams will play against each other in the round robin league, and the top four teams will advance to the playoffs. The top two sides will clash in the first qualifier, with the winner making it to the final. The third and fourth placed teams will clash in the eliminator with the winners meeting the losing side of the first qualifier for a place in the final. The final is slated for November 21.

The CAN has announced the prize money of Rs 15 million to the winning side. The runners-up will earn Rs 8 million, while third-place team will get Rs 4 million.