Informatics College Cheetahs won their second consecutive match of the Machhapuchhre Cricket League Twenty20 to climb on top of the table at the MCC ground in Pokhara on Thursday.

Cheetahs defeated hosts Machhapuchhre Lions by six runs to overshadow skipper Dipesh Khatri’s valiant batting effort. In the second match of the day, KKAF Syangja Challengers edged Downtown Pokhara Lions by two runs for their first win in the tournament. Chhetahs lead the table with six points from two games.

Cheetahs made 121-7 from 20 overs after their innings came to a halt with a four-wicket haul from Amit Chhetri. Lions were restricted to 115-6 in 20 overs with Khatri’s innings going in vain. From 63-6 in 15.4 overs, Khatri played some big shots brining his side close but Cheetahs held firm for a fine victory. Khatri remained unbeaten on 42 from 24 balls with three sixes and two boundaries. He shared unbroken 52-run seventh wicket partnership with Nirmal Chhetri (nine not out). Amit also scored 19 from 27 balls. Vinay Bhandari took two wickets for Cheetahs.

Earlier, man-of-the-match Bhandari struck a brisk 19-ball 44 with five boundaries and three sixes to push his team total beyond triple-figure mark. Kiran Pun made a 12-ball 21 with a six and a four. Chhetri returned with figures of 4-18 from four overs.

In the second match Challengers were dismissed for 121 in 19.5 overs but three wickets each from Ishwor Shrestha and Ashok Shrestha saw Lions restricted to 119-9 in 20 overs. Sudeep Poudel and Krishna Sen had taken Lions close to victory with a 53-run stand for the fourth wicket but their lower middle order failed to build on the foundation. Sen made 42 from 43 balls with six boundaries and a six, while Poudel chipped in 40 from 36 with four sixes and two boundaries. Suraj Gurung also took two wickets for the winning side.

Like Lions, Challengers also had two major contributors to help them put what was ultimately a challenging total. Sangam Gautam scored 38 from 37, while Bishwa Thapa contributed 33 from 18 with both batsmen hitting three fours and two sixes each. Raju Gurung, Lal Bahadur Gurung and Sen took two wickets apiece for Lions. Ashok was named man-of-the-match for his figures of 3-10 from four overs.