Leaders Kathmandu Goldens kept intact their winning run while Biratnagar Kings eraned their first points with victory on Wednesday during the Dhangadi Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament.

Skipper Gyanendra Malla led from the front as Goldens battled to a 11-run win over CYC Attariya at the SSP Cricket Ground. Batting first Goldens posted a modest 137-9 with national team vice-captain scoring a quickfire half century. Attariya could only manage 126-8 in reply thanks to an excellent bowling efforts led by man-of-the match Suboth Bhati.

Goldens had a poor start losing openers Amit Shrestha (6) and star draw Bhati (7) of India as well as Bhupendra Thapa (4) cheaply. However,  Malla, batting at No 3, remained defiant scoring 57 runs before being caught by Sandeep Jhora off Krishna Karki in the 17th over. Malla and Naresh Budayair put on an invaluable 34-run stand for the fourth wicket, the best partnership of their innings. Despite watching wickets tumble at the regular intervals, Malla played with his usual flair to clobber four boundaries and three sixes in his 43-ball knock. Shuvankar Urao took three, while Krishna Karki and Indian recruit Vipin Chandra claimed two wickets each for Attariya.

Like Goldens, Attariya also lost their openers Kushal Bhurtel (8) and Prem Tamang (4) early on but Gaurav Chitkara revived their innings with a quickfire 36 runs. But Attariya failed to catch up with the soaring required run-rate, and despite Vipin Chandra and Jhora making significant  contributions, they eventually fell short of the target. Chandra remained unbeaten on 24-ball 26 and Jhora scored 21 off 20 balls.

Bhati finished with economical figures of 3-10 off four overs while Sunny  Patel and Rashid Khan claimed two wickets each to help Goldens’ defend the total. The Goldens lead the six-team standings with maximum six points from three games, while Attariya fell one place down to third with two points from three matches.

Earlier in the day, Biratnagar Kings’ provided a glimpse of their batting prowess in their 42-run victory over Rupandehi Challengers. Led by national team skipper Paras Khadka, Kings piled on a mammoth 181-4 before restricting Challengers for 139-7.

Kings openers Dilip Nath and Anil Kumar Sah laid the foundation for a big total putting on 45 runs in 6.4 overs. Challengers might have heaved a  sigh of relief when Sagar Pun broke the stand with the dismissal of Sah, who scored 25-ball 36 with three sixes and as many fours. But what unfolded when Hong Kong international Babar Hayat joined Nath left Challengers totally dumbfounded.

Hayat and Nath put on 79-run stand  for the second wicket in just 50 balls. Man-of-the-match Hayat clobbered four sixes and as many fours in his 35-ball 58, while Nath fell seven runs short of a half century after hitting six boundaries and a six in his 37-ball innings. A late cameos from skipper Paras Khadka and Saurav Khanal ensured Kings post a huge total on the board. Khadka slammed three boundaries and a six in his 12-ball 22 before being dismissed in the last ball of their innings. Khanal remained unbeaten on 17, his 11-ball knock included a six and a four. Sufyan Mehmood claimed two while Jitendra Mukhiya and Sagar Pun took one wicket each for Challengers.

Pradeep stood stall in Rupandehi’s run chase scoring a half century but rest of his teammates failed to deliver with the bat. Airee hit six boundaries and two sixes in his composed 50-ball 54. Dipak Prasad (22), Sushan Bhari (21 not out) and skipper Shakti Gauchan (14 not out) only helped make the margin of defeat look more respectable. Shubham Kamat snared three and Ram Naresh Giri two wickets for Kings. The victory saw Kings climb stay fifth in the standings with two points from two games, while Challengers stay at the bottom without a single point after three  games.

Biratnagar Kings will take on Dhangadi Team Chauraha in the first and Mahendranagar United will play against Challengers in the second match on Thursday.

Points table

Team    M    W    L    T    Pts

Kathmandu    3    3    0    0    6

Chauraha    3    2    1    0    4

Attariya    3    1    2    0    2

Mahendranagar    2    1    1    0    2

Biratnagar    2    1    1    0    2

Rupandehi    3    0    3    0    0

Summaries

Biratnagar Kings 181-4 in 20 overs (B Hayat 58, D Nath 43; S Mehmood 2-39, S Pun 1-25) beat Rupandehi Challengers 139-7 in 20 overs (PS Airee 54, D Prasad 22; S Kamat 3-18, R Giri 2-27) by 42 runs; Man-of-the-match: B Hayat (Kings)

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Kathmandu Goldens 137-9 in 20 overs (G Malla 57, N Budayair 27; S Urao 3-19, V Chandra 2-12) beat CYC Attariya 126-8 in 20 overs (G Chitkara 36, V Chandra 26*; S Bhati 3-10, S Patel 2-20) by 11 runs; Man-of-the-match: S Bhati (Goldens)