Opener Shankar Rana slammed a scintillating century as New Horizon Cricket Club of Rupandehi hammered Kuleshwor Cricket Club by 113 runs to enter the Ruslan Twenty20 Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. 

In the day’s second match at the Tribhuvan University Stadium, former U-19 cricket Rana hammered an unbeaten 71-ball 115 guiding New Horizon to a tournament-high 199-2 in 20 overs. Kuleshwor were restricted to 86-9 in reply. 

The day belonged to Rana whose whirlwind innings included 14 boundaries and four sixes. After New Horizon lost another opener Nurdhoj Sen (16) in the fourth over, Rana went on to share 134 runs for the second wicket with Nirmal Thapa to leave Kuleshwor clueless. 

Rana, who had notched up his half century in 36 balls, took just 29 balls more to reach triple figures. Thapa chipped in a 33-ball 39 with five boundaries, while Prakash KC was unbeaten on 13. Ramesh Chhetri took two wickets for Kuleshwor.

Chhetri was also the only Kuleshwor batsman to reach double figures making a 30-ball 24 with three sixes. Bishal Sunar picked up three wickets in his brief one-over spell, while Bikram Bhushal had two scalps. 

Earlier, SPA of Dhangadi defeated Anubhuti Education Foundation of Birgunj by five wickets to make it to the last eight. Anubhuti made a below-par 102-8 before SPA reached 104-5 in 18.2 overs. Rajbir Singh sensibly dealt with the target making a 45-ball 33 not out with three fours and a six. 

Roman Bam (21) and Sandeep Dhami (16) were other SPA batsmen to reach double figures. Sandeep Pandit took two wickets for the losing side. Anubhuti didn’t have big contributors in the game with No 5 batsman Nasruddin Ansari scoring 29 off 25 with a six and a four. 

Sonu Ansari (20) and Aqueb Ali Ansari (18) were next best scorers. Man-of-the-match Bikram Thagunna picked up three wickets, while Mahesh Adhikari and Amit Poudel snapped two wickets apiece.