National team allrounder Sharad Vesawkar shone with bat and ball as Nepal APF Club defeated New Horizon by 38 runs in the Karnali Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament at the Kalinchowk Cricket Grounds in Surkhet on Sunday.

Star-studded departmental outfits scored a mammoth 153-8 and restricted New Horizon for 115-9 in 20 overs. APF had their top-order batsmen to thank for to post the total. While Vesawkar scored run-a-ball 41 with three fours and a six, Shankar Rana was even more aggressive. Rana struck four sixes and a four in his explosive 28-ball 48. Vesawkar’s opening partner Anil Shah also contributed 26 in a 50-run first wicket stand. Rahul Prajapati and Arjun Rayamajhi claimed three wickets each for New Horizon.

In reply, New Horizon lost half their squad without any significant contribution before Suraj Darai and Nischal Chaudhary led resistance to prolong the inevitable. Darai scored a fluent 40 off 37 balls including four boundaries and a six. Chaudhary scored run-a-ball 21 with two fours and a six. Yagyaman Kumar claimed three while man-of-the-match Vesawkar and Bhuwan Karki took two wickets each for APF.

In the day’s early match, Midwestern Cricket Club beat Laligurans Cricket Academy by seven wickets. Laligurans scored 111-9 in their allotted 20 overs before Midwestern Club chased down the total in 15 overs with the loss of three wickets. Laligurans appeared to be heading for a low total after being reduced to 49-7 in the 12th over before Prakash Patel combined with contributions from tailend helped them post a respectable total of the board.

Patel top scored for Laligurans with 41-ball 30 while Dhanush Thapa hit 10-ball 18. Ajay Yadav (12) and Mahesh Rawat (11) also chipped in as Laligurans posted 111-9. Man-of-the-match Aakash Bista and Ajay Sahani took three wickets each for Midwestern Club.

Midwestern Club lost three quick wickets of opener Pranit Thapa (5) and No 3 Tulsi Ram Ahin (0) and No 4 Rajvir Singh (1) but No 2 batsman Sailendra Yadav and Bishal Gupta put on an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 98 runs to ease the Midwestern run chase. Yadav clobbered nine boundaries and a six in his 35-ball 53 while Gupta hit five fours in his 43-ball 45. Ajay Yadav took two wickets for Laligurans.