Lumbini All Star has entered the finals of Nepal T-20 Cricket League. Lumbini entered the final by defeating Janakpur Royals by 6 runs in the first qualifier match held at TU Cricket Ground Kirtipur on Sunday.
Chasing the target of 144 runs given by Lumbini for victory, Janakpur ended up with 137 runs for the loss of seven wickets in the scheduled 20 overs.
While Janakpur needed 33 runs in the last two overs to win, 23 runs were spent by Sadley van Schalwyk in the 29th over. Samiullah Shinwari hit 2 sixes in the first two balls of that over and he was caught out in the third ball. Pawan Sarraf hit a four and a six on the fifth and sixth balls of the over.
When 10 runs were needed to win in the last over, Kishore Mahato bowled 4 dot balls in the last over and won by spending only 3 runs. After Sompal Kami took 1 run in the first ball of the over, Pawan Sarraf could not score runs in three consecutive balls. After taking 2 runs in the fifth ball, Sarraf could not score a run in the last ball.
Samiullah Shinwari scored the highest 45 runs for Janakpur. Similarly, Pawan Sarraf scored 30 unbeaten runs, Sharafuddin Ashraf scored 24 runs, Rajesh Phuami scored 13 runs and captain Travon Griffith scored 10 runs.
In bowling, Lumbini’s Bipul Sharma, Dipendra Singh Airee and Sagar Dhakal took two wickets each. Shadley van Schalkwyk
took one wicket.
Lumbini, who lost the toss and were invited to bat first, scored 143 runs for the loss of eight wickets in 20 overs. Ishan Pandey scored 38 runs for Lumbini. Anil Shah scored 24, Bipul Sharma scored 20, Shadley van Schalkwykscored 17 unbeaten and Lahiru Milantha scored 16 runs.
Janakpur’s Jitendra Mukhia, Ashan Priyanjan and Sompal Kami took two wickets each in bowling. Pawan Sarraf and Travon Griffith took one wicket each.
Defeated Janakpur will compete against the winner of the eliminator game. In the eliminator match, Biratnagar Super Kings and Kathmandu Knights will compete on Monday.
Six franchise teams participated in the tournament. Far West United and Pokhara Avengers have been eliminated from the tournament. The winner of the competition will get a prize of Rs. 55 lakh and the runner-up will get a prize of Rs. 30 lakh. Likewise, the third runner-up will receive a prize of Rs.10 lakh and the fourth runner-up will receive a prize of Rs.5 lakh.
According to the organizer Nepal Cricket Association (CAN), the best player of the league will be awarded Rs.5 lakh, the best batsman and bowler will be awarded Rs. 2 Lakh 50 Thousand each.