Shanker Dev Campus defeated Kathmandu College of Information and Technology (KCMIT) by six runs to win the title of the Universal BBA Cup Twenty20 cricket tournament at the Mulpani Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

Electing to bat first, modest contributions from the top and middle order lifted Shanker Dev to 146-8 in 20 overs. Shanker Dev then cancelled out a gritty unbeaten half century from Aashish Thakur to bundle out KCMIT for 140-8. The champions received a cash purse of Rs 50,000 and the runners-up took home Rs 25,000.

KCMIT kept losing wickets at regular intervals and were heading towards a humiliating final loss reduced to 78-8 at one stage. Man of the final Rajan Dhakal took 3-21, while Sachin Poudel and Manoj Bista had two scalps apiece.

But Thakur gave the real scare to Shanker Dev forging an unbroken stand of 62 runs for the eighth wicket with Arjun Pant (17 not out) before the eventual champions held firm at the closing stages. Thakur’s scintillating 40-ball 60 included eight boundaries and a six. Rakesh Banepali (20) was their next best scorer.

Earlier, Shanker Dev began cautiously after Manish Chalise opened with a 31-run partnership with his opening pair Arjun Singh Thakuri (nine) followed by a 38-run stand with Dhakal. Chalise top scored for their side with a 31-ball 32 hitting five boundaries.

Dhakal (17) then added what was a match-winning 44-run stand for the third wicket with Ranjan Kumar Gupta. Abiral Lama chipped in an 18-ball 21 that took Shanker Dev close to 150-run mark. Gupta scored 31 from 24 balls with five boundaries. Saroj Mandal took 4-31,

while Sarwan Bhandari also picked up two wickets for Shanker Dev.

Sachin Poudel of Shanker Dev was adjudged the man-of-the-series and got Rs 10,000. Dhakal (bowler) and KCMIT batsman Banepali were other individual winners. They got Rs 5,000 apiece.