Kathmandu Cricket Training Centre (KCTC) and Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) advanced to the quarter-finals of the Khukuri Challenger Twenty20 cricket tournament on Sunday.

Held at the Mulpani Cricket Ground, KCTC inflicted a demoralising nine-wicket defeat on Malpokhari Cricket Club to join Group ‘A’ topper Shantinagar Youth Club in the last eight. Army also completed a formality to finish as Group ‘C’ runners-up behind Great Himalaya Cricket Academy (GHCA) and enter the quarter-finals with six-wicket win over Nepal Cricket School (NCS).

Batting first, Malpokhari collapsed to 33-9 with man-of-the-match Nandan Yadav and Sanjay Yadav combining to take seven wickets between them. None of the Malpokhari batsmen were able to score in double figures and they had the 19 sundries to thank for the final total. Yadav finished with figures of 4-7 and Basnet took 3-11 in four overs. Adil Khan and Sumit Jha also snared a wicket each.

KCTC raced to victory in just two overs as Khan slammed 14 runs off just four balls with two sixes and a four, while Basnet remained unbeaten on 13, his five-ball knock included three hits to the fence. Bibek Ranamager scored seven not out. Bhoj Bhatta took the only KCTC wicket to fall.

In another match of the day, NCS scored a modest 122-5 in 20 overs before Army replied with 123-4 in 16.3 overs. NCS had their opening batsman Ravi Shah to thank for to post the total in an otherwise hapless batting display. Shah remained unbeaten in his defiant 74-run knock. He clobbered eight boundaries in his 64-ball innings but none of his other teammates were able to support him. His opening partner and skipper Jitendra Singh Thakuri was their next best contributor with 17 runs. Avinash Bohara, Sagar Pun and Rajesh Pulami took one wicket each for the Army team.

In reply, Army were indebted to their top and middle order to complete the chase. Man-of-the-match Raju Rijal top scored for Army with 44, his 30-ball knock including six fours and a six. Pulami (19 not out), Bhupendra Thapa (17), Rahul Kumar BK (11 not out) and Indra Kamal Manandhar (10) all chipped in to the Army total. Pratish GC, Thakuri, Safal KC and Alfaz Mansuri took one wicket each for NCS.