Cricket
Lumbini clinch U-19 National Cricket Tournament title
Lumbini beat Sudhurpaschim by 113 runs after captain Khanal and KC’s half century coupled with Chauhan five-for.Sports Bureau
Lumbini claimed the title of the Under 19 National Cricket Tournament defeating Sudurpaschim by 113 runs in the final at the TU cricket grounds in Kirtipur on Sunday.
Opener and skipper Dev Khanal and Bishal Bikram KC scored a half century each for Lumbini who posted a challenging total of 212 runs in the 50-over game losing all the wickets after they were put into bat first. Chasing the target, Sudhurpaschim were bowled out for 99 runs in 28.3 overs after Ajay Chauhan shone with the ball claiming five wickets.
Though Lumbini lost opener Aakash Tripathi for a duck, his opening partner Khanal rescued the innings scoring 70 off 95. He hit five fences and four sixes before being caught by captain Khadak Bohara off Aakash Chand.
Khanal and number three batter Prajjwol Thapa shared a 79-run stand for the second wicket. Thapa played 53-ball 24 before he was dismissed in the 19th over. KC was the other remarkable run scorer for Lumbini collecting 51 runs off 69. He hit four boundaries and two sixes before being caught by Sher Malla off Rahul Bhandari.
Durgesh Gupta was the other batter to score in double digit contributing 32 runs off 33 deliveries.
Sudhupaschim bowler Aakash Chand claimed three wickets in his 10-over bowling giving away 47 runs. Sher Malla and Hemant Dhami pocketed two wickets each.
In the run chase, Sudhurpachim lost wickets in regular intervals as opener Naren Bhatta was out for two runs and shortly followed by dismissal of two batters – Bhandari for one run and Basant Karki for seven runs.
Apart from opener/captain Bohara's 39-ball 21, only three other batters managed to touch double digit figures. Lokesh Bam scored 25 off 39, Narayan Joshi 11 off 18 and Sher Malla 15 off 26 as other batters were out cheaply.
Lumbini's Chauhan grabbed five wickets in his 5.3 overs spell conceding 20 runs. He was named player-of-the-match. Durgesh Gupta picked three wickets and Mohammad Husen took two.
Lumbini's Hussen was declared the player of the tournament apart from winning best bowler award. Lumbini captain Khanal won the best batter award. Hussain was rewarded a purse of Rs25,000—15,000 for winning player of the tournament and 10,000 for being the best bowler. His captain Khanal was rewarded Rs10,000.
Winners Lumbini also bagged a purse of Rs200,000 and runners up Sudhurpaschim Rs100,000.