Thames International College and Nepal Commerce Campus (NCC) claimed the Thames Inter-college Twenty20 cricket tournament titles at the Sainik Awasiya Mahavidhyalaya grounds on Saturday. 

While Thames edged KCMIT by six runs in the BIM Cup final, NCC sneaked past Mahendra Morang Adarsha Multiple College (MMAMC) of Biratnagar by two runs in Super Over. Electing to bat first in the BIM final, Thames made 131-8 before they bundled out KCMIT for 125 in 19.5 overs.

Opener Binaya Karki was the lone fighter for KCMIT making a fighting half century and his dismissal was virtually the end of KCMIT innings. Karki made 52 off 55 with three boundaries, while Suraj Agrawal and Rohit Shrestha were the next best scorers with 13 runs each. 

KCMIT total was pushed beyond triple figures owing to 26 extras bowled by Thames for whom man-of-the-match Sanuj Wosti took 3-22 from 3.5 overs. Nikesh Shrestha also took two wickets for Thames. 

Earlier, Prashan Budhathoki and Sudhan Pokhrel guided Thames towards a challenging total. Budhathoki made 28 off 19 with three sixes and Pokhrel scored an unbeaten 25 off 22 with two fours. Rochak Shrestha (15) and Jayant Gupta (11) also made runs in double figures. Birat Neupane (3-29), Srijan Chand (2-22) and Bishwo Bhurtel (2-12) shared seven wickets between them for KCMIT. 

In a nail-biting BBA Cup final, MMAMC were 110 all out in 19.4 overs before the cancelled out an unbeaten half century from Biplav Basnet restricting NCC to 110-9 in 20 overs forcing Super Over. In the Super Over, NCC made 11-2 and contained MMAMC to 9-1 in one-over thriller. 

Basnet watched his partners losing wickets at regular intervals but he held firm to make sure NCC build a solid chance for the title. Man-of-the-match Basnet hit three fours in his 54-ball 50 not out. Manish Basnet, Sudip Niraula and Niraj Rajbanshi took two wickets each for MMAMC. 

Opener Raju Sharma top scored in MMAMC innings making a 16-ball 30 with six boundaries. Manish Basnet (19) was their next best scorer. Sandesh Shrestha took 3-14 from 3.4 overs for NCC and Sanjay Chand had the figures 2-29 from four overs. Sitesh Tiwari of Kathford International College and KCMIT’s Binay were named players of the tournament.

n Thames International College players and officials celebrate after winning the BBA Cup Twenty20 final in Bhaktapur on Saturday.