Lumbini Lions continued their impressive run in Nepal Premier League (NPL) Season 3 with a convincing eight-wicket victory over Pokhara Avengers at Kirtipur on Tuesday.
Chasing a modest target of 98, Lumbini reached 98/2 in just 11.4 overs, finishing the match with 50 balls remaining.
Earlier, Pokhara Avengers struggled against Lumbini’s disciplined bowling attack and managed only 97/9 in 20 overs. Their batting never really got going as wickets kept falling at regular intervals.
Ruben Trumpelmann was the standout bowler for Lumbini, claiming three wickets for just 16 runs in his four overs. Tilak Bhandari also picked up two wickets, while Sher Malla, Abhishesh Gautam and Rohit Paudel took one each.
Chamika Karunaratne was one of the few batters who showed some resistance for Pokhara, scoring 25 off 17 balls. Mahedi Hasan added 13, but the Avengers failed to build a meaningful partnership.
In reply, Lumbini lost Aasif Sheikh and D’Arcy Short early, but captain Rohit Paudel and Niroshan Dickwella made sure there were no further setbacks.
Paudel led the chase with an unbeaten 47 off 32 balls, including three fours and three sixes. Dickwella supported him well with an unbeaten 27 off 26 balls as the pair guided Lumbini comfortably to victory.
The win was another strong performance from Lumbini Lions, who dominated with the ball before completing a quick and comfortable chase.
Match Summary
- Pokhara Avengers: 97/9 (20 overs)
- Lumbini Lions: 98/2 (11.4 overs)
- Result: Lumbini Lions won by 8 wickets
- Best bowler: Ruben Trumpelmann – 3/16
- Top batter: Rohit Paudel – 47* off 32 balls
- Key contribution: Niroshan Dickwella – 27* off 26 balls
Lumbini Lions will take plenty of confidence from this all-round performance, while Pokhara Avengers will need to improve their batting in the matches ahead.
