Shahab Alam shone with a six-wicket haul, including a hat-trick, as Kathmandu Gorkhas beat Pokhara Avengers by 13 runs in the Nepal Premier League match at the TU International Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur on Thursday.

With the win, Kathmandu booked their spot for the playoff. Kathmandu is currently placed second in the points table with 10 points, with five wins and two losses as they completed their group-stage matches. Kathmandu is the second team to reach the playoffs after Sudurpashcim Royals.

Kathmandu made a shaky start after being invited to bat first. Aakash Tripathi fell for a duck in the first over, and Rashid Khan departed, leaving Kathmandu reeling under 21-2. Ben Charlesworth steadied the innings with a composed 64 runs off 55, striking five fours and two sixes. Milind Kumar and John Simpson fell in quick succession, leaving Kathmandu on 64-4 in the 12th over.

The innings shifted when Bhim Sharki arrived. Sharki played the standout knock of the match, blasting 55 runs off just 23 deliveries. Sharki, who was later adjudged player of the match, hit five fours and four sixes, attacking every bowler he faced. His 50 came in 19 balls and lifted Kathmandu from 79-5 to 155-6 before he fell in the final over. Charlesworth and Sharki added 50 runs for the sixth wicket off 24 balls. Kathmandu closed on 165 for eight. Dhananjaya Lakshan was the pick of the Pokhara bowlers with 4 wickets for 16 runs from four overs.

Pokhara’s chase began poorly. Adam Rossington fell for five in the second over, and Jason Roy followed, bowled by Shahab Alam. Trit Raj Das departed for nine runs, and captain Kushal Bhurtel’s dismissal at the team’s score of 55 runs pushed them back further.

Lakshan and Dhawan rebuilt with a 50-run stand for the fifth wicket. Lakshan made 30 runs. Dhawan kept Pokhara in the contest with a fluent 54 off 31, hitting three fours and two sixes. But once he fell in the 19th over, Pokhara collapsed. They lost their final six wickets for 21 runs. Shahab Alam produced the match-winning spell, taking six for 25 from his four overs, including four wickets in the final seven balls he bowled.

Kathmandu managed to put on only 152 runs, losing all wickets with disciplined death bowling from Karan KC and Alam.