Pokhara Avengers registered their first victory of the Nepal Premier League on Thursday, defeating defending champions Janakpur Bolts by 25 runs at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.

Chasing 156, Janakpur never recovered from early blows and finished on 130–9 after 20 overs. The loss marked their third consecutive defeat, leaving their playoff hopes hanging by a thread despite four matches still remaining.

Pokhara’s left-arm spinner Bipin Khatri triggered the collapse in the very first over, removing Aasif Sheikh for a duck and bowling Subash Khakurel for four, shortly after Pakistan’s Maaz Sadaqat had launched the innings with a first-ball six. Fellow spinner Sumit Verma tightened the grip in the fourth over, dismissing both Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (2) and Sadaqat (20), the latter having struck one four and two sixes from 14 balls.

Captain Anil Sah managed only a single, while Bipin trapped Mayan Yadav for four to complete an exceptional spell of 4–0–15–3. Sanjay Krishnamurthi top-scored with 23 off 20 balls, and Wayne Parnell struck a fighting 50 from 38 deliveries—hitting two fours and four sixes—before retiring out in the final over. Lalit Rajbanshi remained unbeaten on 10. For Pokhara, Verma claimed two wickets, while captain Kushal Bhurtel and Jimmy Neesham took one each.

Earlier, opting to bat first, Pokhara posted 155–6 after a strong finish that yielded 60 runs in the final five overs. Openers Adam Rossington and Dinesh Kharel added 61 for the first wicket before Krishnamurthi dismissed both in successive deliveries—Rossington for 24 off 17 and Bhurtel for a first-ball duck. Kharel made 38 off 38 with two fours and three sixes.

The momentum was restored through a crucial 72-run fifth-wicket stand between Verma and Tritraj Das. Verma anchored the innings with an unbeaten 50 off 29 balls, striking two fours and four sixes, while Das made 28 before being run out in the 19th over. Dan Douthwaite chipped in with a late six in his seven off three balls.

Krishnamurthi finished with impressive figures of 3–21, while Rajbanshi and captain Sah picked up a wicket each.

In a symbolic gesture, Janakpur played in pink jerseys to promote maternal respect, while Pokhara wore green to highlight the importance of Himalayan rivers and environmental conservation.

Janakpur had previously lost to Kathmandu Gorkhas by five wickets and to Biratnagar Kings by nine wickets. Pokhara entered the match on the back of defeats to Biratnagar and Sudurpashchim Royals, but finally opened their account with a decisive all-round performance.e wickets for just 21 runs.