Satyawati Higher Secondary School defended the Expert College Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament with a three-wicket win over Kumudini Homes on Tuesday.

In a repeat of last year’s final between the two teams, Kumudini were 98 all out in 19.2 overs before Satyawati reached the target in 16 overs losing seven wickets.

Anish Khadka top scored for Kumudina with 32 but none of the other batsmen were able to contribute runs of any note.  Saurav Ali and Sushil Giri claimed three wickets each while Santosh Shrestha took scalps for Satyawati.

Despite chasing he modest total, Satyawati lost wicket at regular intervals before finally achieving the target. Bipul Wagle scored 26 whiel skipper Binay Bhandari and Bimal Sunar chipped in with 15 runs each.

Dev Sah took three while Samir Sen and Bishwas Parajuli snared two wickets each for Kumudini.

Satyawati skipper Bhandari was adjudged player-of-the-series and his teammates Sushil Giri and Rupak Bara were named best bowler and batsman respectively. Anish Khadka of Kumudini was declared the best fielder in the tournament participated in by eight college teams.

This is the first of the nine tournaments that Nepalaya International are organising in nine cities. The tournaments will also be held in Kathmandu, Chitwan, Bhairahawa, Dhangadi, Nepalgunj, Itahari, Dang and Birtamode