Chasing 172 to win from 20 overs, Sunshine needed 16 runs in the last six balls to become the new champions of the tournament.

Saurav Khanal, a former U-19 player who represented Nepal in the 2012 U-19 World Cup, began the over bowling a no-ball and a wide leaving Sunshine with 14 to get from six. Man Bahadur Thapa — who had earlier hit two sixes in the match — gave New Horizon goose bumps smashing a maximum in the third ball.

With eight more to win from three balls, Khanal bowled Thapa to all but end Sunshine challenge before cleaning up Shaban Ali in the fifth ball for a wild celebration. Along with the title, New Horizon walked away with a cash prize of Rs 500,000, while Sunshine got Rs 200,000.

In a high-scoring final, five of the top six New Horizon batsmen made modest contributions guiding the team to 171-6 in 20 overs. Veteran left arm orthodox bowler Shakti Gauchan was once again instrumental in New Horizon’s defence when he picked up three crucial wickets in the middle order before Sunshine finished at 164 all out with one ball to spare.

Although Sunshine lost opener Shankar Rana (duck) and Bijay Sunar (seven) cheaply, a quick fire innings from Indian recruit Subodh Srivastav coasted them to 61 in seven overs. Subodh smashed 46 off 21 with five sixes and three boundaries before he ran himself out.

Antim Thapa and Mayank Yadav kept Sunshine in the game with a 68-run stand. But two wickets in two balls from Gauchan in the 16th over turned the tide towards New Horizon. Shakti bowled Yadav before sending back Nischal Chaudhary for a first-ball duck.

Yadav made 44 off 27 with four fours and two sixes. Thapa fought back for Sunshine launching Gauchan and Sompal Kami for a six each in the 18th and 19th over only to be denied by Khanal at a crucial stage of the game.

Man-of-the-final picked up 3-36 from 3.5 overs, while Gauchan’s figures read 3-30 from four overs. Kami and Sushan Bhari Shrestha also had one scalp apiece.

Earlier, New Horizon were shaken by the third-ball dismissal of opener Nurdhoj Sen (naught) with just one run on the board. Another opener Sandip Sunar and Nirmal Thapa anchored the innings with a 63-run stand until both batsmen were dismissed in a space of 18 runs.

Sunar made 34 off 21 with five boundaries and a six with Nirmal hitting three boundaries in his 38-ball 26. Kami then rebuilt New Horizon innings with two crucial partnerships with Khanal doing the late damage.

Kami shared 47 with Prakash KC (23 off 17) for the fourth and 30 with Khanal for the fifth before losing his wicket for 40 off 29 with three fours and two sixes.

Khanal played an eight-ball cameo of 24 hitting two sixes and as many boundaries. Dipendra Yadav picked up 2-35 for Sunshine. Thapa, Ali and Srivastav had one scalp apiece.

Khanal was also named the player-of-the-series and walked away with a cash prize of Rs 50,000. Amit Shrestha (batsman) of Sunrise, Rahul Kumar BK (bowler) of Pentagon, Binod Lama (fielder) of Durga Laxmi and Mayank (foreign player) were other best individuals pocketing Rs 25,000 each. Bipin Rawal of Kailali was named the emerging player.