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Dhangadhi Premier League: Challengers clinch cliffhanger
Rupandehi Challengers held their nerve in the closing stages defending a low total to beat Sharad Vesawkar’s Mahendranagar United by two runs in the Dhangadhi Premier League on Monday.Sports Bureau
Rupandehi Challengers held their nerve in the closing stages defending a low total to beat Sharad Vesawkar’s Mahendranagar United by two runs in the Dhangadhi Premier League on Monday.
Challengers, the strongest team of the tournament in paper, were dismissed for 111 in 20 overs after electing to bat first. United were reduced to 66-6 at one stage before Rohit Kumar Paudel led their recovery and appeared set to take the team across the finishing line. But Bikram Sob bowled a decisive 19th over to get rid of Paudel and Krishna Karki held on in the 20th restricting United to 109-8.
United required 21 runs from the last 12 balls and Sob had a bad start after he conceded three runs in the first that included a no ball. Paudel made it 12 to win from last 10, smashing Sob for a six in free-hit. But Sob hit back hard dismissing Paudel and keeping the last four deliveries dot.
Karki did the job in the first ball of the next over removing hard-hitting Emirati fast bowling allrounder Mohammad Naveed (12) and gave away just nine runs in the last five. Paudel scored 24 off 21 with two fours and a six. Subramanian Anand top scored for United making 25 off 34 with two sixes and a four. Man-of-the-match Sob (3-24) and Puneet Mehra (2-13) shared five wickets between them.
Challengers had similar start at 68-6 but Sumit Maharjan pushed them beyond triple figures making a 35-ball 27 with two sixes and a four. Binod Bhandari hit two sixes and a boundary in his 16-ball 19 and Sob (16 not out) was their next best scorer. Siddhant Lohani was the pick of the United bowlers with 3-19. Sagar Dhakal (2-20) and Abinash Bohora (2-18) also shared four wickets between them.