Defending champion Biratnagar Warriors was knocked out of the league stage of the Everest Premier League (EPL) after crashing to a five-wicket defeat at the hands of Kathmandu Kings XI on a day when Irish international Kevin O’Brien returned with a match-winning performance.

A narrow-margin defeat would have sent Paras Khadka’s Warriors into the playoffs at the expense of Chitwan Tigers on net run-rate but its hopes was dashed in the first innings itself after the entire team was bundled out for just 100 runs in 17.5 overs.

Warriors bowlers did manage to reduce Kings XI to 48-5 in 10.1 overs but O’Brien diffused all remaining hopes steering his side to 106-5 in 17.5. Had Warriors taken the game to the 19th over, Tigers hopes would have been dashed. Warriors and Tigers were tied on four points each with the latter hopping to fourth spot for a place in the Eliminator.

Kings XI, meanwhile, secured a berth in the first Qualifier where it will meet Gyanendra Malla’s Lalitpur Patriots. The winners of the will enter the final. The losing side will then meet the winner of Wednesday’s Eliminator match between Tigers and Bhairahawa Gladiators to have another shot at the final.

Patriots, who also won four matches, finished strong at the top of the table with a healthy run-rate after being tied on points with Kings XI. Gladiators, which was second at the table, finished third following Monday’s result.

Under tough conditions in the year’s coldest day, O’Brien drew the first blood clean bowling opener Anil Sah (six) in the third over. Skipper Khadka and Babar Hayat (11) added 30 runs — Warriors’ biggest partnership of the day — for the second wicket before Jitendra Mukhiya removed the latter.

Khadka fell next over to Pradeep Sahu after scoring 21 off 16 with two fours and a six. Warriors then lost Aasif Sheikh (two) and Roelof van der Merwe (four) as another low total loomed for Warriors. Sumit Maharjan top scored for Warriors making a 23-ball 25 with two sixes and a four, while Hari Bahadur Chaudhan made 22 off 23 with three hits to the fence.

O’Brien returned with figures of 3-18 from three overs, while skipper Rohan Mustafa, Sahu and Bikram Kumar Bhushal also picked up two wickets each. Khadka was partly dejected for not putting up a good show throughout the tournament.

“We didn’t bat well (throughout tournament). Hats off to bowlers for pushing themselves every day. We never managed to put up a good show as a batting unit in all five matches. Still, I think all the matches were very close but sometimes things don’t go your way,” said Khadka.

Khadka gave Warriors a dream start removing opener Mustafa (duck) in the first over with his off spin. The captain and Van der Merwe picked up two wickets each and Robeen Chhetri had one scalp to raise hopes with half of the Kings XI batsmen back to pavilion as it needed 52 more runs.

Irishman O’Brien then combined with Sahu to play sensibly before speeding up the chase in the 18th over bowled by Khadka. Warriors needed to defend 13 runs in the 18th over to go through but O’Brien punished Khadka’s over-pitched deliveries hitting three big sixes to knock the holder out.

Man-of-the-match O’Brien said his cutting loose against Khadka came as a plan. “After we were five down, we just needed one decent over and taking on Paras was probably the easier option than against the spinners,” said O’Brien of Khadka who bowled his last two overs medium pace. “He put them (balls) in my area probably more out of frustration and I went for him.”

O’Brien, who shared 58-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Sahu, scored 45 not out off 43. He also hit two boundaries in his innings. Sahu remained unbeaten on 21 off 23 with three boundaries.

Summary

Kathmandu Kings XI 106-5 in 17.5 overs (K O’Brien 45 not out, P Sahu 21; P van Meekeren 2-22, P Khadka 2-29) beats Biratnagar Warriors 100 all out in 17.5 overs (S Maharjan 24, HB Chauhan 22; K O’Brien 3-18, R Mustafa 2-17, BK Bhushal 2-30) by five wickets

Man-of-the-match: K O’Brien

Winner to get Rs 2.5 million

KATHMANDU: The Everest Premier League (EPL) Pvt Ltd finally unveiled the prize money for the ongoing Everest Premier League Twenty20 announcing an increment of Rs 400,000. The EPL winner will now get Rs 2.5 million. An increment of Rs 200,000 has also been announced for the runner-up who will pocket Rs 1 million. The man-of-the-series will get a TVS Apache RTR 160 motorcycle. The announcement of prize money comes with only four-day matches left in the tournament. (PR)