Janakpur Bolts continued their unbeaten streak in the Nepal Premier League (NPL) with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Pokhara Avengers on Thursday at the Tribhuvan University Ground, Kirtipur.
Having already defeated Biratnagar Kings and Karnali Yaks by eight wickets in their previous matches, Janakpur registered their third straight win. Meanwhile, Pokhara suffered their second consecutive loss, following an 87-run defeat to Chitwan Rhinos in their opening game.
Chasing a modest target of 139, Janakpur comfortably reached 143/3 in 17.1 overs.
Sri Lankan batter Lahiru Milantha set the tone for the chase with a solid 45 off 32 balls, hitting eight boundaries. New Zealand all-rounder James Neesham, named Player of the Match, smashed an unbeaten 40 off just 20 balls, including five sixes. Aasif Sheikh contributed 33 runs, while Harsh Thaker remained not out on 13. For Pokhara, Bipin Khatri, Michael Leask, and Kushal Bhurtel took one wicket each.
Earlier, Pokhara, batting first after losing the toss, posted 138/7 in their allotted 20 overs.
Marcus Critchley top-scored for Pokhara with 35 runs, while Michael Leask added 25, opener Andreas Gous scored 20, Raymon Reifer contributed 17, Dilip Nath made 11, and Dinesh Kharel chipped in with 10 runs.
Janakpur’s bowling attack was spearheaded by left-arm spinner Lalit Rajbanshi, who took three wickets for 31 runs in his four overs. James Neesham picked up two wickets, while Mohammad Mohsin and Kishore Mahato claimed one wicket each.
With this win, Janakpur has firmly established itself as a top contender in the league, maintaining its perfect record. Pokhara, on the other hand, will look to regroup after two consecutive losses.
