In the ongoing Tasmanian Nepalese Premier League (TNPL) in Australia, VXL Stars have had a mixed campaign, with one win and two losses from their three matches so far. Despite a brilliant hat-trick from Laxman Panthi, the team now faces a must-win situation in their final league match against Intact Titans to secure a spot in the final. The tournament is being held at the Bagdad Community Oval in Hobart, Tasmania.
Match 1: VXL Stars vs Grace Dynamos
In their opening match, Grace Dynamos defeated VXL Stars by 30 runs.
Batting first, Grace Dynamos posted a total of 120/8 in 20 overs, with Khemraj Paudel contributing 33 runs. VXL Stars’ Laxman Panthi was outstanding with the ball, taking 3 wickets for just 8 runs. Binay Shrestha claimed 2 wickets, and Subash Bishwakarma took 1 wicket.
In response, VXL Stars were bowled out for 90 runs in 18.3 overs. Subash Bishwakarma top-scored with 24 runs, followed by Binod Khatri with 18 and Navaraj Karki with 12 runs. Bikash Sedhai of Grace Dynamos took 4 wickets, while Umesh Pandit grabbed 3 wickets to ensure their team’s victory.
Match 2: VXL Stars vs Intact Titans
In their second match, VXL Stars bounced back with a 35-run victory over Intact Titans.
Batting first, VXL Stars posted 125/7 in 20 overs, with Binod Khatri scoring the tournament’s first half-century—58 runs off 47 balls. Moen Kumar Shrestha and Navaraj Karki contributed 12 and 18 runs, respectively.
Defending the total, Intact Titans were restricted to 90/9 in their 20 overs. Laxman Panthi took an incredible 6 wickets for just 6 runs in his 4 overs, including a hat-trick. Sudip Pandey and Subash Bishwakarma took 1 wicket each.
Match 3: VXL Stars vs Grace Dynamos
In their third match, Grace Dynamos edged out VXL Stars by just 5 runs.
Grace Dynamos were all out for 84 runs in 17.1 overs. VXL Stars’ bowlers shone again, with Binay Shrestha taking 3 wickets, and Suraj Thapa and Laxman Panthi each claiming 2 wickets.
However, while chasing the modest target, VXL Stars could only manage 79/9 in 20 overs. Captain Amrit Bhattarai led from the front with 31 runs, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win. Rupesh Parajuli and Reewaj Poudel of Grace Dynamos took 3 and 2 wickets, respectively.
Points Table & Upcoming Matches
After three matches, VXL Stars are in third place on the points table with 1 win and 4 points. Intact Titans, also with 4 points, are ahead in second place based on net run rate, while Grace Dynamos lead the table with 8 points from 2 wins in 3 matches.
For VXL Stars, their final league match against Intact Titans on Sunday, 6th October, 11:00 AM, is crucial. They must win to keep their hopes alive for a spot in the final, which will be played on Friday, 20th October, 11:00 AM, at Bagdad Community Oval in Hobart, Tasmania.
The day before, Intact Titans will face Grace Dynamos, which could also impact the final standings.
All eyes are now on Laxman Panthi and Amrit Bhattarai as they look to guide VXL Stars to a much-needed victory in Australia.
VXL Stars are owned by VXL Education Tasmania and co-sponsored by New Concept Finance. The team was formed through an auction process, bringing together 16 talented players with a budget of AUD 5,000.
The Tasmanian Nepalese Premier League (TNPL) is being held at the Bagdad Community Oval in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. This T-20 format tournament features three teams: VXL Stars, Grace Dynamos, and Intact Titans. The tournament offers a substantial prize pool, with AUD 3,500 awarded to the winning team. Individual prizes include AUD 400 for the Golden Bat and Golden Ball, AUD 600 for the Player of the Tournament, and AUD 200 for the Player of the Match in each game.
