Nepal Premier League kicks-off; Janakpur defeats Biratnagar by 8 wickets in inauguration match

Kathmandu / Nov 30: Janakpur Bolts registered its easy win over Biratnagar Kings in the Nepal Premier League inauguration match on Saturday at Kirtipur, Kathmandu.

Janakpur has achieved the target of 128 runs by making 131 runs in just 15.3 overs with a loss of just 2 wickets.

Batsman Lahiru Milantha and Harsh Thaker’s partnership of 116 runs in 87 balls helped Janakpur to achieve the target with 27 balls remaining.

Lahiru Milantha hit a half-century and scored 75 runs in 53 balls. Harsh Thaker scored 29 runs.

Anil Sah scored 5 runs but Aasif Sheikh remained unable to score runs.

Biratnagar’s bawlers Chris Sole and Pratis GC took a single wicket each.

Earlier, batting first Biratnagar Kings scored 127 runs before being all out in 19 overs.

The tournament will see 32 matches being played at the same venue, until the final match scheduled on December 21 at 12:15 pm.

The auctions for team ownership was held on September 5 in which Nepal T Twenty Cricket Pvt. Ltd. bought Pokhara Avengers for the maximum price of Rs 35.7 million. For this season, each team had a salary cap of Rs nine million for domestic auction of players.

Among the eight selected marquee players Sandeep Lamichhane was drawn to Biratnagar Kings, Kushal Malla to Chitwan Rhinos, Aasif Sheikh to Janakpur Bolts, Sompal Kami to Karnali Yaks, Karan KC to Kathmandu Gurkhas, Rohit Paudel to Lumbini Lions, Kushal Bhurtel to Pokhara Avengers and Dipendra Singh Airee to Sudurpaschim Royals.