Kathmandu Gurkhas defeated Karnali Yaks by three wickets in the ongoing Nepal Premier League (NPL) cricket match at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground, Kirtipur, on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. Powered by standout performances from Karan KC and Sumit Maharjan, the Gurkhas chased down the target of 150 runs with just three balls to spare.
Karnali Yaks’ Strong Start
Winning the toss, Kathmandu Gurkhas’ captain Karan KC opted to field first. Karnali Yaks set a challenging target of 150 runs, led by an exceptional innings from Indian cricketing icon Shikhar Dhawan, who scored 72 runs off 51 balls, including 4 fours and 5 sixes.
Dhawan reached his half-century in 42 balls, smashing consecutive boundaries in the 18th over bowled by Karan KC. In the next over, Dhawan hit Nathan Sowter for back-to-back sixes, anchoring an unbeaten partnership of 65 runs off 33 balls for the sixth wicket with Jisan Maksud, who contributed 14 runs off 11 balls.
The Yaks concluded their innings at 149/5 in 20 overs. Despite their strong batting, Karnali’s middle order struggled, with Dev Khanal, Chadwick Walton, Babar Hayat, and Gulshan Jha unable to build significant partnerships.
Kathmandu Gurkhas’ Chase
The Gurkhas had a shaky start, losing opener Shankar Rana early for 6 runs off 7 balls. Their middle order faltered as Stephen Eskinazi (3), Bhim Sarki (9), and Michael Levitt (22 off 19 balls) failed to capitalize.
However, the game turned around with Sumit Maharjan and captain Karan KC leading a sensational comeback. Sumit remained unbeaten with 40 runs off 37 balls, hitting 3 fours and 1 six, while Karan scored a quickfire 28 off 10 balls, including 2 fours and 1 six.
The decisive moment came when, with the scores tied, Sumit struck a boundary, sealing the win for Kathmandu Gurkhas with three balls to spare.
Bowling Highlights
For Kathmandu Gurkhas:
- Karan KC gave an early breakthrough, dismissing Dev Khanal LBW in the first over.
- Dipesh Kandel, Nathan Sowter, and JJ Smit chipped in with one wicket each.
For Karnali Yaks:
- JJ Smit took 2 wickets for 29 runs in 4 overs.
- Gerhard Erasmus, Bipin Sharma, and Gulshan Jha each took one wicket.
Tournament Performance
This win marks Kathmandu Gurkhas’ first victory in the tournament after their initial loss to Chitwan Rhinos by 5 wickets. For Karnali Yaks, this was their second consecutive defeat, having previously lost to Janakpur Bolts by 8 wickets.
Key Takeaways
The match showcased Shikhar Dhawan’s excellent batting, who continues to establish his worth on the NPL stage, as well as Karan KC’s all-round efforts, whose captaincy and performance were crucial to the Gurkhas’ victory.
