Sports

Mahendranagar stun Kings

Mahendranagar United stunned star-studded Biratnagar Kings team led by national team skipper Paras Khadka by 33 runs while CYC Attariya eased to a nine-wicket win over Rupandehi Challengers in the Dhangadi Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament on Sunday. Mahendranagar stun Kings

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Published at : April 2, 2018

Updated at : April 2, 2018 09:54

Dhangadi

In the first match held at the SSP Cricket Ground, Mahendranagar posted 168-5 in 20 overs before restricting Biratnagar for 135 runs in 19 overs. It was more of a team batting effort rather than some individual brilliance that gave Mahendranagar a decent total on the board. Indian recruit Puneet Mehra top scored with an explosive 38, his 18-ball unbeaten cameo included three sixes and two fours. Mehra won man-of-the-match award.

Skipper Binod Bhandari, who opened the bat with Aasif Sheikh (9), scored 29-ball 35, while Punit Bista (24), Aarif Sheikh (20) and Harishankar Shah (19) all made quick runs to swell the Mahendranagar total. Manjeet Shrestha took two wickets while Indian national Shubham Kamat and skipper Khadka claimed one apiece for Biratnagar.

Biratnagar top order appeared to be in a hurry as they raced to 68 runs by the seventh over but also lost three wickets in the process including that of star draw Babar Hayat, the Hong Kong international. Openers Anil Kumar Sah scored 23 and Dilip Nath chipped in 10. But it was Hayat’s dismissal in the first ball of the eight over that triggered a dramatic collapse. Hayat struck 32 with four sixes and two boundaries in a fiery 10-ball blitz.

No 4 batsman Prithu Baskota top scored with 35 runs and was the last man out after seeing wickets tumble at the other end regularly. Skipper Khadka lasted only 15 balls scoring just 16 runs. Avinash Karn took three while Mehra, Bhuwan Karki and Robeen Chhetri claimed two scalps each for Mahendranagar.

Earlier in the first match, Rupandehi collapsed to 61 runs in 15.2 overs before Attariya raced to victory for the loss of one wicket in just 7.3 overs. Sufyan Mehmood (20), the Oman international, was the only batsman to score in double figures for Rupandehi team led by veteran Shakti Gauchan. Man-of-the-match Kamal Singh Airee took 4-15 and Shuvankar Urao snared 3-7 for Attariya.

Attariya lost skipper Subash Khakurel (19) but Gaurav Chitkara and Prem Tamang led the team to victory without further damage. Chitkara slammed three

sixes and two fours in his unbeaten 18-ball 30 and Tamang scored 19-ball 14. Jitendra Mukhiya took the only Attariya wicket to fall.

Summaries

CYC Attariya 65-1 in 7.3 overs (G Chitkara 30*, S Khakurel 19; J Mukhiya 1-16) beat Rupandehi Challengers 61 in 15.2 overs (S Mehmood 20; K Airee 4-15, S Urao 3-7) by nine wickets; Man-of-the-match: KS Airee (Attariya)

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Mahendranagar United 168-5 in 20 overs (P Mehra 38*, B Bhandari 35; M Shrestha 2-30, S Kamat 1-20) beat Biratnagar Kings 135 in 19 overs (P Baskota 35, B Hayat 32; A Karn 3-22, R Chhetri 2-8, P Mehra 2-21) by 33 runs; Man-of-the-match: P Mehra (Mahendranagar)