Nepali leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane chipped in with a wicket as his team Toronto Nationals beat Montreal Tigers by 35 runs on Thursday to set up an Eliminator clash with Winnipeg Hawks, the team another Nepali paceman Sompal Kami plays for.

Set 190-run target, Tigers were bowled out for 154 in 19.3 overs with Lamichhane finishing with figure of 1-25. The figure was a huge improvement considering that the 19-year -old started his first match conceding 44 runs for one wicket against Brampton Wolves on August 7. Mitchell Mcclenaghan and Chris Green claimed three wickets while Jeremy Gordan took two other wickets for Nationals.

Mathew cross top scored for the Tigers with 26-ball 39, which included five fours and a six. Sri Lankan Dinesh Chandimal, who fell to Lamichhane, scored 36 off 31 balls with three fours and a six.

Earlier, opener Rodrigo Thomas and No 4 batsman Heinrich Klaasen ensured the Nationals post a competitive total on the board. Nationals posted 189-5 in 20 overs. Thomas scored 70, his 56-ball knock included five sixes and as many fours. Chirag Suri (16) and skipper Moises Henriques (14) fell cheaply but Klaasen joined Thomas and the two batsmen put on a massive 98 runs for the third wicket to help swell Nationals’ total.

Klaasen clobbered four sixes and as many fours in his unbeaten 34-ball 64. Sri Lankan Thisara Perera took two, while Nikhil Dutta, Fawad Ahmed and Dillon Heyliger snared a wicket each for the Tigers.