Skipper Paras Khadka led Nepal XI to a convincing 31-run win over Dhangadi  XI in a charity twenty20 cricket match on the eve of the Dhangadi Premier League (DPL) here on Sunday.

Electing to bat first, Nepal XI scored 161-8 and restricted the local side for 130-8 in 20 overs. Khadka underwent an appendicitis operation in mid-February that kept him out of Nepal’s two important events—ICC World  Cricket League Championship double header at home against Kenya and ACC  Emerging Nations Cup in Bangladesh in March.

But the influential Nepal skipper made light of the injury layoff to hit a quickfire half century and most importantly put on a match-winning 81-run third wicket stand with Basanta Regmi to resurrect his team’s innings after losing openers Sagar Pun (0) and Dilip Nath (0) with just one run on the board.

Man-of-the-match Khadka scored 68 runs, his 44-ball knock was studded with seven fours and four sixes. Regmi fell seven runs short of his century as the veteran national team spinner hit four boundaries and three sixes in his 38-ball innings. Sharad Vesawkar also chipped in with 19 runs. Bikram Thagunna was the pick of the Dhangadi bowlers with figures of 4-21,  while Sagar Bhandari and Padam KC took one wicket each.

In reply, Dhangadi batsmen found it hard scoring against the experienced national team players as Sunil Dhamala top scored with 30-ball 34 and Dipendra Singh Airee contributed 18-ball 26. Shakti Gauchan grabbed three and Somal Kami took two wickets for Nepal XI. Mehboob Alam, Sandeep  Lamichhane and Avinash Karn also bagged a wicket each.

The much-awaited DPL kicks off on Monday with CYC Attariya taking on Kathmandu Goldens in the first match and Rupandehi Challengers playing  against Kanchanpur Iconic in the second match on Monday. DPL is a city-based Twenty20 cricket tournament participated in by six teams: Attariya, Biratnagar Kings, Goldens, Rupandehi, Chauraha of Dhangadi and Kanchanpur. 

National team skipper Khadka will lead Chauraha which is owned by Dhangadi’s local businessman Rajkumar Shrestha. Gyanendra Malla will skipper Attariya, owned by Creative Youth Club and has Nar Bahadur Rai as its president. Sharad Vesawkar is the captain of Kings belonging to Mahalaxmi Cable, owned by former national cricketer Paras Luniya. Gauchan will take the reins of Rupandehi owned by SR Group and has Suraj Upreti as its proprietor. Regmi will captain the Goldens, a franchise that belong to Golden Gate International College owned by Ramesh Silwal.

DPL is the highest cash-prized cricket tournament in Nepal that offers Rs 1.5 million to the champions. The runners-up earn Rs 700,000. Through the DPL, Nepali cricket also saw its first ever  auction of cricketers at a national level where four players were bought  for up to the maximum bidding amount of Rs 100,000.

The tournament will be held in round robin league from where the top four teams qualify for the playoffs. Of the four teams, top two will play the first qualifier from where the winner will reach the final. The losers will get another chance to reach the final vie second qualifier, where they will play the winners of the ‘eliminator’ between the third and fourth placed teams.

Summary

Nepal XI 161-8 (P Khadka 68, B Regmi 43; B Thagunna 4-21, S Bhandari 1-26) beat Dhangadi XI 130-8 (S Dhamala 34, DS Airee 26; S Gauchan 3-24, S Kami 2-16) by 31 runs; Man-of-the-match: P Khadka