Colors X-Factor survived a late onslaught from Sagarmatha Legends skipper Binod Bhandari to win their first match in the Wai Wai Everest Premier League with a nine-run victory on Tuesday.

Put in to bat first, half centuries from captain Gyanendra Malla and Rajesh Pulami Magar lifted X-Factor to 168-6—tournament’s second highest total. Legends were right on track with Bhandari shaping up the game with his power-hitting but the skipper was dismissed at crucial time as they were stopped at 159-6.

The result meant Legends are now all but out of the final race having lost three matches in a trot. They next face unbeaten Panchakanya Tez and Jagdamba Rhinos where even victories might not put them in the top two spot.

Legends had a decent start after in-form opener Sunil Dhamala forged a 43-run opening wicket stand with Anil Mandal (14) before the latter was dismissed in the seventh over. They soon lost Shankar Rana (one) but Dhamala kept playing his shots to keep Legends in chase.

In a spell of tight bowling in the 12th over, Yogendra Singh Karki tied up Dhamala for the first three balls before the batsman lost his cool and holed out a catch to Nandan Yadav. Dhamala, who had struck 87 against Vishal Warriors on Monday, made 46 off 36 with five fours.

Bhandari then shared 42 runs for the fourth wicket with Mehboob Alam, who chipped in 17-ball 23 with two sixes and a four. With Bhandari connecting every ball, Legends remained in the game although they required 15 off the last seven balls. Bhandari made an attempt to steal a single to retain the strike for final over but was excellently

ran out by a direct throw from Malla.

Legends collected just five runs from the final over. “Twenty20 is a game which can turn around at any moment and Bhandari’s run out was the turning point of the game,” said Malla after receiving the man-of-the-match award.

Malla, earlier, stitched a solid 91-run stand for the third wicket with Magar guiding his team towards a big total. While Malla made 37-ball 52, Magar struck 56 off 38. Both batsmen hit four boundaries and two sixes apiece. Faijlur Rahman Khan (21) was another modest scorer up the order. Bikram Sob and Mehboob Alam took two wickets each for the Legends.

Points Table

Teams   P             W            L              NR          Pts          NRR

Panchakanya Tej              2              2              0              0              4              +1.134

Vishal Warriors  2              1              0              1              3              +1.250

Kantipur Gurkhas             3              1              1              1              3              +0.600

Jagdamba Rhinos             2              1              1              0              2              +0.017

Colors X-Factors               2              1              1              0              2              -0.625

Sagarmatha Legends      3              0              3              0              0              -1.291