Rupandehi Challengers and Kathmandu Goldens recorded convincing wins in the Dhangadi Premier League (DPL) twenty20 cricket tournament at the SSP Cricket  Grounds on Wednesday.

Rupandehi beat CYC Attariya by 42 runs, while Kathmandu crushed Biratnagar  Kings by 86 runs. The results meant Rupandehi top the standings  with four points from two games while Kathmandu, who also have  four points, stay second.

In the first match, Rupandehi scored 129-6 and restricted Attariya for 87  runs in 19.4 overs. Rupandehi had their lower middle order batsmen to thank for to post what appeared to be an under-par total. But as it turned out, the score proved to be enough due to their discipline bowling led by man-of-the-match Shahab Alam, who returned with figures of 4-8 off four overs.

Led by veteran national team spinner Shakti Gaucha, Rupandehi were tottering at 48-5 in 11 overs. But Rajesh Pulami Magar and Prakash KC put on a 61-run sixth wicket stand to help post the fighting total. Their total was also boosted by wayward Attariya bowling that conceded 28 extras. Magar scored 31 off 35 balls including three sixes, while KC remained unbeaten on 29, his 24 ball-knock was studded with three fours and a six. Puspa Thapa’s 21 was the only other batsman to chip in  from the top order. Pradeep Airee and Binod Lama claimed two, while Mehboob Alam and Avinash  Bohara took one wicket each.

In reply Attariya team, led by national team vice-captain Gyanendra Malla, made a poor start losing openers Sandeep Sunar (2) and Dilip Nath (0) with just two runs on the board. Malla tried to resurrect his team by scoring a  swift 30 runs but fell prey to Alam in the 13th over with the team in deep trouble at 46-7.

From there on Rupandehi never looked back to finally dismiss Attariya for 87 runs. With an unbeaten 18, Binod Lama was Attariya’s second best contributor with the bat. Apart from Alam, Bikram  Sob took two and Gauchan, Krishna Karki and Puspa Thapa snared one wicket each for Rupandehi.

In the day’s second game, top order Kathmandu Goldens batsmen all chipped in runs to help post 173-5 before bowling out Biratnagar Kings for 87 runs  in 18.5 overs. Batting at No 4, Sumit Maharjan top scored for Kathmandu with a quickfire 44, while No 5 batsman Sompal Kami hit a blistering 39. Man-of-the-match Maharjan clobbered four sixes and two fours in his 27-ball  knock. Kami was even more aggressive with three sixes and two boundaries in his 20-ball cameo. To add to the Biratnagar’s woes, Kathmandu skipper Basanta Regmi also hit 24-ball 30 and Shubhendu Pandey 25-ball 27. Both Regmi and Pandey hit two sixes each as Goldens slammed 11 sixes in all.

Biratnagar were effectively out of the contest after losing half their team for 43 runs by the 11th over. No 4 batsman Dipendra Singh Airee led a  brief resistance with his 24-ball 31 but Biratnagar were never in the hunt as wicket kept on tumbling. Santosh Bhatta was the pick of the Kathmandu bowlers with 3-22. Skipper Basanta Regmi and Bhuwan Karki also claimed two  wickets each.

DPL offers Rs 1.5 million to the champions and Rs 700,000 to the runners-up. The six-team tournament is being held in round robin league from where the top four teams qualify for the playoffs. Of the four teams, top two will battle it out for a place in the final. The losers of the first Qualifier will get another chance to reach the final vie second Qualifier, where they will play the winners of the Eliminator match between the third and fourth placed teams.

Summaries

Kathmandu Goldens 173-5 in 20 overs (S Maharjan 44*, S Kami 39; S Vesawkar 2-19, S Lamichhane 1-26) beat Biratnagar Kings 87 in 18.5 over (D Airee 31, S Vesawkar 13; S Bhatta 3-22, B Karki 2-8) by 86 runs

Man-of-the-match: S Maharjan

Rupandehi Challengers 129-6 in 20 overs (R Pulami 31, Prakash KC 29*; B Lama 2-17, P Airee 2-25) beat CYC Attariya 87 in 19.4 overs (G Malla 30, B Lama 18*; S Alam 4-8, B Sob 2-15) by 42 runs

Man-of-the-match: S Alam

Standings

Teams    P    W    L    NR    Pts    NRR

Rupandehi    2    2    0    0    4    +1.400

Kathmandu    3    2    1    0    4    +1.167

Attariya    2    1    1    0    2    -0.050

Biratnagar    2    1    1    0    2    -1.575

Kanchanpur    2    0    2    0    0    -0.950

Chauraha    1    0    1    0    0    -1.150