KATHMANDU: A brilliant bowling performance from teenager Ranjeet Kumar and a commanding half-century by Ravi Bopara powered Chitwan Rhinos to a 48-run victory over Biratnagar Kings in Wednesday’s Nepal Premier League (NPL) match at TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur.
Sent in to bat, Chitwan posted a competitive 174/5 in 20 overs after recovering from an early wobble at 66/3 inside eight overs. Ravi Bopara steadied the innings with a fluent 65 off 38 balls, laced with three fours and four sixes. He fell in the final over, but not before lifting Chitwan to a strong total and notching his third consecutive fifty of the season.
Saif Zaib contributed 32, Dev Khanal made 28, captain Kushal Malla added 20, while Dawid Malan scored 17. For Biratnagar, Marchant de Lange impressed again, removing openers Deepak Bohora and Malan, while Shubham Ranjane dismissed Bopara. Skipper Sandeep Lamichhane bowled tightly, finishing with 2/24.
Biratnagar’s reply started poorly as openers George Munsey and Lokesh Bam departed early to Sohail Tanvir and Kamal Singh Airee. Nineteen-year-old left-arm spinner Kumar then ripped through the middle order on debut, claiming 5/21, including the key dismissal of Sam Heazlett, trapped lbw.
Despite a late counterattack from Marchant de Lange (39 off 21) and Pratish GC (30 off 12), Biratnagar were bowled out well short as wickets kept tumbling.
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