Biratnagar Kings marched into the final of the Dhangadi Premier League twenty20 cricket tournament with a stunning 29-run win over Rupandehi Challengers here on Wednesday.

In the first Qualifier between the teams who finished in top two in league round, Biratnagar posted 128-9 and restricted Rupandehi for 99 runs in 20 overs. The victory sent Biratnagar into Saturday’s final, while table -topper Rupandehi were left to seek an alternative route to the final vie the second Qualifier on Thursday. Rupandehi will play Dhangadi Team Chauraha, who on Wednesday beat Kathmandu Goldens by six wickets in the Eliminator. The Eliminator match was held between teams that finished third and fourth in the league stage.

Electing to bat first, Biratnagar battled to a par total considering the results of the earlier matches at the venue. The team led by national team allrounder Sharad Vesawkar were jolted early on as their opener Prakash Bista (0) fell to Bikram Sob without even opening an account in the second ball of their innings.

However, contribution from Aasif Sheikh (36), Vesawkar (24), Pawan Sarraf  (15) and Dipendra Singh Airee (13) saw them battle to 128-9. While Aasif took a cautious approach in his 41-ball innings which was studded with three fours and two sixes, his skipper was more fluent in his 22-ball knock that included two sixes.

Rupandehi skipper, the veteran national team spinner, Shakti Gauchan  (3-16) and Dipesh Shrestha (2-16) kept things tight but Sob (1-32) and Shahab Alam (1-30) were expensive. Rupandehi’s run chase never took off and only Puspa Thapa and Sob led a brief resistance as they failed to overcame the morale-sapping defeat against Chauraha in their last league match on Monday. The six-wicket loss inside 11 overs had sent Chauraha into the playoff as the fourth and final team.

Thapa scored 22 with three fours and a six, while Sob struck 23, his 16-ball knock included two boundaries and a six. Left-arm spinner Sushil Kandel, who was adjudged man-of-the-match, returned with 4-15 off four overs, while leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane was even more economical with 2-11 in four overs. 

In the Eliminator, Kathmandu Goldens scored 123-6 and Chauraha replied with 127-4 in 18.2 overs. Sumit Maharjan and Rohit Kumar Paudel scored 31 runs each, while Naresh Budayair made 29 runs for Kathmandu team led by Basanta  Regmi. Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi and Amar Singh Routela took two wickets  each for Chauraha.

Opener Anil Kumar Mandal laid the foundation for the Chauraha run chase,  scoring a composed 44 runs. Man-of-the-match Mandal slammed five boundaries and a six in his 49-ball knock. Prithu Baskota also contributed 22 and skipper Paras Khadka 12 runs. Aarif Sheikh completed the chase in a hurry, scoring 11-ball 22 with two sixes and as many fours. Santosh Bhatta claimed two and Manjeet Shrestha one wicket for Kathmandu. 

The tournament, that offers Rs 1.5 million to the champions and Rs 700,000 to the  runners-up, is modelled on a glitzy and lucrative T20  leagues organised by top-notch cricketing nations around the world that presents a solid platform for promising youngsters.

Summaries

Biratnagar Kings 128-9 (Aasif Sheikh 36, S Vesawkar 24; S Gauchan 3-16, D Shrestha 2-16) beat Rupandehi Challengers 99 in 20 overs (B Sob 23, P Thapa 22; S Kandel 4-15, S Lamichhane 2-11) by 29 runs

Man-of-the-match: S Kandel

Dhangadi Team Chauraha 127-4 in 18.2 overs (A Mandal 44, Aarif Sheikh 22*, P Baskota 22; S Bhatta 2-18, M Shrestha 1-26) beat Kathmandu Goldens 123-6 in 20 overs (R Paudel 31*, S Maharjan 31, N Budayair 29; L Rajbanshi 2-20, A Routela 2-21) by six wickets

Man-of-the-match: A Mandal