Chitwan Rhinos continued their winning momentum in the Nepal Premier League T20 cricket tournament as they registered a dominant 87-run victory over Pokhara Avengers at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Tuesday.

Former Pakistan bowler Sohail Tanvir starred with the ball once again, producing a match-winning spell of 3-6, while Rijan Dhakal and Luc Benkenstein also chipped in with three wickets apiece to dismantle Pokhara—who were chasing 162—for 74 inside 14 overs.

Tanvir, who had claimed 5-21 in Chitwan’s five-wicket win over Kathmandu Gurkhas on Monday, and Dhakal were the thorns in the Pokhara flesh.

The duo struck mercilessly inflicting early damage to reduce Pokhara to 17-7 in 6.2 overs, with skipper and marquee player Kushal Bhurtel (0), Dilip Nath (4), Bas de Leede (0), Dinesh Kharel (1), Kiran Thagunna (1) and Michael Leask (0) all crumbling under pressure.

Marcus Critchley (17 off 16) and Narayan Joshi (30 off 24) led a brief resistance to offer some respite but Benkenstein, who had also removed Raymon Reifer (1) to assist in earlier destruction, cleaned up both both Critchley and Joshi to extinguish any hopes of recovery.

Deepak then cut off the tail by dispatching Bipin Khatri (9), ensuring a comfortable win for Chitwan.

Earlier, sent in to bat first after losing the toss, Chitwan posted a competitive 161-7, riding on the back of a well-crafted half-century from Englishman Ravi Bopara.

Chitwan got their innings off to a shaky start, losing openers Deepak Bohara (2) and Hassan Eisakhil (14) both to Khatri.

De Leede next had Benkenstein caught by Bhurtel in the 5.2 overs that left Chitwan in trouble at 46-3.

But skipper Kushal Malla and Bopara steadied the ship with a crucial 68-run stand for the fourth wicket to lay the anchor for a competitive total.

Malla contributed a brisk 38 off 23 balls, while Bopara smashed 51 runs in his 38-ball knock laced with three boundaries and three sixes.

Late cameos from Santosh Karki (11), Sharad Vesawkar (11 not out) and Amar Routela (13 not out) pushed Chitwan to a defendable total.

Khatri, De Leede and Reifer took two wickets each for Pokhara.

Airee heroics

Sudurpaschim Royals opened their tournament with a resounding 90-run win over Biratnagar Kings earlier at the same venue.

Biratnagar, who were chasing 183, faltered under relentless pressure and were bowled out for 92 in 16.1 overs after bowlers Scott Kuggeleijn and Abinash Bohara ripped apart their batting line up sharing six wickets between them.

Brandon McMullen, Saif Zaib and Ishan Pandey picked one apiece.

New Zealand bowling allrounder Kuggeleijn started the destruction taking the wickets of Martin Guptill (0) and Nicholas Kirton (5).

Opener Lokesh Bam also left the pitch cheaply scoring just two runs, leaving Biratnagar teetering at 11-3.

Rajesh Pulami (15 off 28) and Basir Ahamad (24 off 28) tried to rebuild the innings but their revival was short lived as Pulami was run out before Bohara took out Ismat Alam (6) and Ahamad to halt the progress.

Biratnagar never recovered after that, slumping to a second straight loss of the tournament.

Earlier, Dipendra Singh Airee scored an unbeaten half-century to help Sudurpaschim post an imposing total of 182-7 after being invited to bat first.

Sudurpaschim struggled initially and were reeling at 89-5 in the 12.4 overs after Kharel struck thrice to rattle the top and middle order, including the wickets of Binod Bhandari (23 off 20) and Brandon McMullen (36 off 26).

But Airee led the counterattack with a scintillating knock of 24-ball 57, including a 49-run stand with Ishan Pandey (21 off 16).

Kuggeleijn supported Airee from the other end of the wicket with 10 off six as Sudurpaschim finished their innings strongly.