CYC Attariya and Rupandehi Challengers opened the Dhangadi Premier League  (DPL) twenty20 cricket tournament with wins at the SSP Cricket grounds here on Monday.

In the inaugural match, Attariya eased to a 40-run win over Kathmandu Goldens, while the Challengers beat Kanchanpur Iconic by 14 runs in the  second game of the day. Put into bat first, Gyanendra Malla-led Attariya posted 146-6 before restricting Goldens for 106 runs in 18.4 overs. 

Attariya appeared to be in a dire straits after losing half their team to be 57-5 by the 12th over but the 20-year old Yogendra Singh Karki and Gyanendra Kunwar batted with  grit to help their team post a respectable total on the board. 

Karki and Kunwar  put on a 69-run sixth wicket stand. Karki fell prey to Sompal Kami in the 19th over after scoring 57 runs but Kunwar carried his bat till the end. Karki hit seven boundaries and a six in his 41-ball knock, while Kunwar remained unbeaten on 34, his 23-ball cameo included five hits to the  fence. Kami took two, while Manjeet Shrestha, Santosh Bhatta and Rohit  Kumar Paudel claimed one wicket each for Goldens.

Goldens’ run chase never took off and they were effectively out of the contest after losing seven wickets for just 33 runs by the 10th over. Only a composed 40-run knock from Kami and a quickfire 31 from Santosh Bhatta helped Goldens give some respectability to their total. Kami struck four boundaries and a six in his 38-ball knock, while Bhatta hit three fours  and a six in his 23-ball stay on the crease. Man-of-the-match Avinash Bohara returned with an enviable figures of 4-11  from 3.4 overs, while Binod Lama took 3-9 for Attariya from four overs.

In the second match, Rupandehi Challengers scored 145-8 but defended the total by restricting Kanchanpur Iconic to 131-9 in 20 overs. Opener Harishanker Shah top scored with 24-ball 33 and Prakash KC contributed 26 for Challengers. Kushal Bhurtel was pick of the Iconic bowlers with 4-36. Avinash Karn also grabbed two and Sunil Dhamala one wicket.

Iconic failed to capitalise on a 52-run first wicket stand between Sagar Pun and Dhamala to eventually lose the game. Pun scored 39 off 38 balls and Dhamala made 28 off 35. Bhurtel’s 27-run cameo was the only other highlight of the Iconic batting. Bhurtel slammed three boundaries and two sixes in his 13-ball knock. Man-of-the-match Krishna Karki and Shabab Alam claimed three wickets each, while skipper Shakti Gauchan took two and Dipesh Shrestha one wicket for Challengers.

DPL is the highest cash-prized cricket tournament in Nepal that offers Rs 1.5 million to the champions and Rs 700,000 to the runners-up. The six-team tournament will be held in round robin league from where the top four teams qualify for the playoffs. Of the four teams, top two will play the first qualifier from where the winners will reach the final. The losers will get another chance to reach the final vie second qualifier, where they will play the winners of the ‘eliminator’ between the third and fourth placed teams.

Summaries

CYC Attariya 146-6 in 20 overs (Y Karki 57, G Kuwar 34*; S Kami 2-30, S Bhatta 1-10) beat Kathmandu Goldens 106-10 in 18.4 overs (S Kami 40, S Bhatta 31; A Bohara 4-11, B Lama 3-9) by 40 runs; Man-of-the-match: A Bohara (CYC Attariya) 

Rupandehi Challengers 145-8 in 20 overs (H Shah 33, Prakash KC 26; K Bhurtel 4-36, A Karn 2-23) beat Kanchanpur Iconic 131-9 in 20 overs (S Pun 39, S Dhamala 28; S Alam 3-8, K Karki 3-26) by 14 runs; Man-of-the-match: K Karki (Rupandehi)