Kirtipur:Lumbini Lions have continued their winning streak in the Nepal Premier League (NPL) Cricket Tournament by defeating Janakpur Bolts in a closely contested match.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Lumbini secured a 16-run victory over Janakpur Bolts at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground. The win was vital for Lumbini, as they remain unbeaten and sit atop the league table with seven points from four matches.
Lumbini, the defending champions, started their campaign with a win against Sudurpashchim Royals by seven wickets. Their second match against Chitwan Rhinos was abandoned due to rain, leading to a points share. Lumbini continued their dominance by defeating Pokhara Avengers by eight wickets in their third match.
In the latest match, Lumbini set a target of 150 runs for Janakpur, who were bowled out for 133 runs in the allotted 20 overs, losing eight wickets. Harmeet Singh, the captain of Janakpur, was the top scorer with 33 runs. Saif Hassan and Aaditya Mahata remained unbeaten with 28 and 30 runs, respectively, while Trit Raj Das added 18 runs to the total.
Lumbini’s bowlers performed admirably, with D’Arcy Short leading the attack. Sher Malla and Tilak Bhandari each claimed two wickets, while Ruben Trampelman added one to his tally. Earlier in the match, Lumbini’s captain Rohit Paudel led from the front, scoring 34 runs, supported by Niroshan Dickwella, Dilip Nath, Aasif Sheikh, and Ruben Trampelmann, who contributed with scores of 27, 25, 21, and 15, respectively.
For Janakpur, despite the loss, they have managed four points from five games. They have victories against Kathmandu Gorkhaj and Pokhara Avengers but suffered defeats against Karnali Yaks and Biratnagar Kings, along with their recent loss to Lumbini.