Sudurpaschim Royals strengthened their position at the top of the Nepal Premier League table on Thursday, defeating Lumbini by eight wickets while chasing a 144-run target.

The victory marked their fourth consecutive win, placing them on the verge of securing a playoff berth.

Earlier, Lumbini had posted 143 runs, setting a target of 144, after a mixed first-innings effort. The innings featured useful contributions at the top, but Sudurpaschim’s bowlers kept the scoring in check, ensuring Lumbini could not accelerate substantially.

Three of Lumbini’s bowlers—Ruben Trumpelmann, Abhishek Gautam and Tilak Bhandari—eventually finished with a wicket each.

In reply, Sudurpaschim delivered one of the most composed chases of the season. Wicketkeeper Binod Bhandari starred with an unbeaten 69 off 49 balls, striking five fours and four sixes, his first half-century of the campaign. He received strong support from Aarif Sheikh, who added 39 off 37 with four boundaries and a six, as the pair built a match-winning stand.

Earlier in the innings, Cricket Lynn contributed 19 while Josh Brown fell for 9, but Sudurpaschim remained firmly in control throughout. The Royals reached the target comfortably to seal an eight-wicket win.

With four wins from four, Sudurpaschim now need just one victory from their remaining three matches to guarantee a playoff spot. In contrast, Lumbini—who had started their season with a win—suffered their third straight defeat, leaving them with only two points from four games and a fading playoff chance.