KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Gorkhas registered their third consecutive victory in the Nepal Premier League (NPL), bringing defending champions Lumbini Lions’ unbeaten run to an end with a 36-run win at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Saturday.
Powered by a half-century from Australian batter David Warner and an impressive bowling performance led by Jahandad Khan, Kathmandu successfully defended a target of 161 runs, restricting Lumbini to 124 runs in 19.3 overs.
Sandeep Jora was Lumbini’s top scorer with 44 runs, but the team’s batting collapse early in the innings left it struggling to chase the target.
The defeat ended Lumbini’s 10-match unbeaten streak in the NPL, including its six consecutive victories in the previous edition and four unbeaten matches in the ongoing tournament.
Despite the loss, Lumbini remain at the top of the points table with seven points from five matches. Kathmandu have climbed to second place with six points from four matches after recovering from an opening-game defeat with three consecutive wins. Sudurpaschim Royals, also on six points, are placed third behind Kathmandu on net run rate.
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