National team opener Binod Bhandari scored a whirlwind century leading Triton International College to a crushing 109-run victory over Kantipur City College on Tuesday.

Electing to bat first, Bhandari opened the innings and struck 65-ball 104 in a record opening partnership with Aadil Khan as Triton amassed tournament’s second highest 185-4 in 20 overs. Bhandari returned to pick up three wickets in his four miserly overs bundling out the opponents for just 78 runs in 18.5 overs.

The huge victory has put Triton into the driving seat to reach the semi-finals from three-team Group ‘A’ that also includes Orchid International College. Even a slim-margin defeat for Triton at the hands of Orchid might not stop them from entering the semi-finals.

Bhandari’s dominating batting display was the toast of the day as he punished almost all KCC bowlers with his power-hitting. He shared 156 runs for the first wicket with Khan to lay the foundation for a big total. Bhandari clobbered 14 boundaries and three sixes in his knock. Khan made 51 off 38 with six fours and a six.

Arun Airee chipped in a 10-ball 24 with two fours and a maximum. Sanjay Yadav and Subash Budha Chhetri took two wickets each for KCC.

Pacers Sumit Jha and Bikram Sob gave early breakthroughs to Triton reducing KCC to 16-3 in 5.1 overs. Dinesh Agri and Dhurba Panthi (seven) offered a brief resistance with a 23-run partnership before Bhandari struck with a run out of the latter. He then took three middle order wickets to throw KCC out of the contest.

Man-of-the-match Bhandari returned the figures of 3-10. Jha took 2-17 from three overs. Agri top scored for KCC with a 14-ball 15 hitting a four. Meanwhile, Tuesday’s second match between Omega International College and Tribhuvan University was washed out due to consistent rain. Omega were 40-3 in 7.3 overs before rain intervened washed out the match.