Rupandehi Challengers are confirmed to finish on top of the Dhangadi  Premier League twenty20 cricket tournament after defeating Biratnagar Kings by 61 runs on Sunday.

The result meant unbeaten Rupandehi have eight points with a game to spare. Despite the defeat, Biratnagar themselves are confirmed to finish in second place as no other team can overtake them.

Rupandehi and Biratnagar will now play the first Qualifier on Wednesday with the winners to secure a berth for the final.

The losers will then play in the second Qualifier against the winners of the Eliminator match.  Teams finishing the league round in third and fourth place will play the Eliminator.

Kathmandu Goldens became the third team to book a ticket to the four-team playoff on superior net run-rate despite finishing the league round on equal four points with Kanchanpur Iconic and CYC Attariya.

While Attariya were eliminated, the current fourth-place team Kanchanpur await Monday’s  last league match between Rupandehi and Dhangadi Team Chauraha to know their fate.

Chauraha have two points and a massive win over the league leaders can be sufficient for Paras Khadka-led team to overtake Kanchanpur into fourth place.

Rupandehi posted 132-8 and bowled out Biratnagar for 71 in 18.1 overs. Antim Thapa top scored for Rupandehi with 45 and Krishna Karki made 22.

Thapa hit five fours and a six in his 42-ball knock, while Karki slammed two sixes and a four in his 16-ball innings. Sushil Kandel and Dipendra Singh Airee took two wickets each for Biratnagar.

Pawan Sarraf,  Kishore Mahato, Sandeep Lamichhane and skipper Sharad Vesawkar also grabbed one wicket each.

Skipper Vesawkar fought a lonely battle in a hapless Biratnagar run chase as man-of-the-match Shahab Alam and Dipesh Shrestha took out seven top order batsmen before Krishna Karki polished off the tail.

Vesawkar scored 34 from 47 balls with two sixes and a four. Alam finished with figures of 4-19 and Shrestha 3-13. Karki bagged 3-14.

In the day’s second game, Kanchanpur beat Attariya by six wickets. Attariya, led by national team vice-captain Gyanendra Malla, caved in for a meagre 85 runs in the last ball of their innings with Pradeep Airee top scoring for them with a painstaking 19.

Sunil Dhamala and Avinash Karn grabbed three wickets apiece for Kanchanpur. 

Kanchanpur replied with 90-4 in 10 overs. Kanchanpur top order batsmen, including man-of-the-match Dhamala, laid the foundation for an easy run chase.

Dhamala hit 28 runs with two sixes and four. Dhamala’s opening partner Sagar Pun and Hasim Ansari also contributed quickfire 22 runs each. 

Binod Bhandari finished off the chase with an explosive 16 runs from just five balls that included two fours and a six. Binod Lama bagged two wickets for Attariya.

Summaries

Rupandehi Challengers 132-8 in 20 overs (A Thapa 45, K Karki 22; S Kandel 2-28, D Airee 2-31) beat Biratnagar Kings 71 in 18.1 overs (S Vesawkar 34; S Alam 4-19, D Shrestha 3-13, K Karki 3-14) by 61 runs

Man-of-the-match: S Alam

Kanchanpur Iconic 90-4 in 10 overs (S Dhamala 28, H Ansari 22; B Lama 2-26, G Kuwar 1-10) beat CYC Attariya 85 in 20 overs (P Airee 19, G Kuwar 15*; S Dhamala 3-15,  A Karn 3-18) by six wickets

Man-of-the-match: S Dhamala 

Standings

Team    P    W    L    NR    Pts    NRR

Rupandehi    4    4    0    0    8    +1.650

Biratnagar    5    3    2    0    6    -0.127

Kathmandu    5    2    3    0    4    +0.440

Kanchanpur    5    2    3    0    4    -0.313

Attariya    5    2    3    0    4    -0.834

Chauraha    4    1    3    0    2    -0.788