U-19 cricketer Dipendra Airee put an allround display as Nepal Police Club (NPC) claimed the second Saptari Madan Ashrit Twenty20 National cricket tournament here on Thursday.

In what turned out to be a one-sided final, NPC claimed their second title of the year crushing Janakpur by 49 runs. Airee’s eight-ball 26 runs lifted NPC to 178-7.

The ICC U-19 World Cup player then returned to take a miserly 2-8 in four overs as Janakpur were restricted to 129-8. Seamer Ramnaresh Giri provided early breakthrough removing Janakpur’s first three batsmen. Airee then took two wickets, while Kushal Bhurtel and Manjeet Shrestha snared one apiece to reduce Janakpur to 42-7 in 11.5 overs. They were down to 68-8 after Navin Thapa removed Abhishek Jha (19).

Saurav Nagvanshi put on a late fight making a 36-ball 35 not out, and together with Gopal Singh shared a 61-run unbroken stand for the ninth wicket. Navanshi hit five fours, while Singh scored 29 off 26 with four boundaries and a six. Opener Ishan Pandey made 21 off 14 with two sixes and as many fours.

Earlier, almost all NPC batsmen chipped in valuable runs before Airee wreaked havoc with three sixes and a four in his eight-ball cameo. Siddhant Lohani (23) and Kushal Bhurtel (20 not out) also lifted the team with both facing just nine balls. Prem Tamang top scored with a 24-ball 30 that included three fours and a six and his U-19 teammate Yogendra Karki hit 29 off 24 with two fours and a six. Mehboob Alam took three wickets but leaked 39 runs in four overs, while Raj Mohammad and Sanjog Karn had two scalps apiece.

The title triumph helped NPC collect a cash purse Rs 100,000. Janakpur received Rs 50,000. Pushpa Thapa of Horizon Cricket Academy of Biratnagar was named the player-of-the-tournament. Mohammad (bowler) and Shankar Rana (batsman) of NPC collected the other awards.