Himalayan Cricket Academy (HCA) and Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club  recorded easy wins in the Ruslan Cup Twenty20 cricket tournament here at  the Tribhuvan University ground on Sunday.

In the Group ‘B’ match, HCA hammered Lord Buddha Cricket Club by 54 runs,  while APF beat Pulchowk Engi-neering Campus by 32 runs.

Put into bat first, HCA were bowled out for 154 runs in 19.4 overs but  defended the total by restricting Lord Buddha for 100-7 in 20 Overs. HCA  had four players to thank for to build the total. Skipper Bhupendra Thapa  played a 22-run cameo, his 12 ball knock included four boundaries and a  six, while his opening partner Shakti Bhandari contributed 25-ball 20.  Amar Singh Rautela top scored with 16-ball 24 and Abinash Adhikari chipped  in with 11-ball 22. Prasoon Thapa and Satendra Joshi claimed three wickets each, while Abhises  Thapa snared two for Lord Buddha.

Apart from openers Sujan Thapaliya and Somyog Dahal none of the Lord  Buddha players contributed runs of note as they were shut out for 100  runs. Thapaliya scored 35, his 43-ball stay included three hits fours and a six. Dahal scored a painstaking 18 off 32 deliveries.  Ashish Pokhrel and Sher Singh Khatri grabbed two wickets, while  man-of-the-match Abinash Adhikari and Dinesh Agri took one apiece for  HCA.’

In the day’ second game, APF scored a modest 129-4 but stopped Pulchowk for 97-6 in 20 overs. Pradeep Airee top scored for APF with run-a-ball 46 with five hits to the fence, while man-of-the-match Aarif Sheikh slammed a 19-ball 34 with three fours and a six. Opener Subhash Khakurel battled to a 41-ball 21. Sumant Sah took two and Sumit Jha one wicket for Pulchowk Engineering Campus.

In reply, Gaurav Khadka fought a lonely battle for Pulchowk,scoring a half century but was unable to change the course of the game. Khadka his eight fours in his 63-ball 55. Basanta Regmi was pick of the APF bowlers with 3-7 from four overs. Shiekh, Sandeep Lamichhane and Shankar Rawal also bagged a wicket each for the departmental team.

SS Event will take on Nepal Police Club in an early kick off before Nepal Army Club play PC Fighters at the same venue on Monday.

‘Unwell’ Khadka unlikely to play

KATHMANDU: Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club skipper Paras Khadka is unlikely to feature in the Ruslan Cup Twenty20 tournament after being admitted to hospital since Friday due to “intestinal complications.” Gyanendra Malla took over the captaincy in Sunday’s win over Pulchowk Engineering Campus. APF coach Raju Basnyat said Khadka was admitted to Norvic Hospital in Thapathali on Friday after suffering from abdominal pain.