Pokhara Avengers won a match in the Nepal Premier League’s last season, defeating Chitwan Rhinos by eight wickets in their final league-stage fixture. 

On Friday though, the Avengers were handed their fourth consecutive loss of the NPL third season by Chitwan. 

Pokhara started the season with a six-wicket loss against Sudurpaschim Royals, and were then defeated by Janakpur Bolts and Lumbini Lions.

The Avengers, starting without Shakib Al Hasan, won the toss and elected to field first. And they utilised the decision, allowing the Rhinos to put 151/6 on the scoreboard by the end of the first innings. 

Chitwan had a good start with the bat as openers Arjun Saud and Dawid Malan built a 60-run partnership. When Saud (31 off 27) departed in the last ball of the ninth over, the experienced English all-rounder Ravi Bopara entered.

Bopara has been playing for the Rhinos since the inaugural season in 2024. He had scored 286 runs and bagged two wickets in the first season, and scored 237 runs and picked two wickets in the second.

Coming to the third season, Bopara, who captained the Rhinos in the first match, is still the most consistent player for the Rhinos. And he proved it with a 28-ball 35 on Friday. Bopara now has 116 runs in three games for the Rhinos.

Bopara was supported by skipper Sikandar Raza. From 86/4 after the wicket of Kushal Malla, the marquee who finally started for the Rhinos, Raza and Bopara built a 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Raza departed after scoring a quick fire 37 off 16 in the last over. The Rhinos were then able to put up the decent target. 

Kushal Bhurtel, alongside Bipin Khatri and Chamika Karunaratne, picked two wickets each for Pokhara. Karunaratne replaced Bhurtel as the skipper of Pokhara on Friday.

It seemed that the change in captaincy was to give Bhurtel a freedom to perform—not staying under pressure as a captain. But while Bhurtel did well with the ball, he could not repeat it with the bat.

Bhurtel, who opened at the striker’s end for the first time this season, departed at 4 off 3. Yubaraj Samra, the Canadian youngster who made global headlines after a century against New Zealand in the 2026 T20 World Cup, could also only contribute 19 off 14. 

Arjun Kumal, who came in after Bhurtel’s wicket, showed some hope despite wickets—Sadeera Samarawickrama (4 off 11), Mahedi Hasan (7 off 8), Kiran Thagunna (13 off 13) and Karunaratne (2 off 6)—falling from the other end. And it took a special catch to dismiss Kumal.

Substitute fielder Deepak Bohara should have caught Kumal out simply in the second ball of the 18th over. But Bohara could not grab it comfortably and the ball juggled around his body and hit his legs, but he did not let it touch the ground either, grabbing the ball instinctively. 

When Kumal (45 off 44) departed, Pokhara were 117/7, requiring 35 off 16 to win. And with Kumal’s departure, Pokhara’s chances to register their first win got slimmer.

Three more wickets—Sudip Aryal (0 off 4), Arjun Gharti Magar (12 off 10) and Sagar Dhakal (0 off 2)—saw Pokhara get bundled out at 121 runs by the end of the 19th over, and Chitwan won by 30 runs.

With the second win in three matches, Chitwan stayed undefeated in the season and climbed to the third position with five points. They are followed by Kathmandu Gorkhas (4 points from 3 games), Janakpur Bolts (4 points from 5 games), Karnali Yaks (4 points from 4 games) and Biratnagar Kings (3 points from 3 games). Pokhara are at the bottom with 0 points from three games, while Lumbini Lions (7 points from 4 games) and Sudurpaschim Royals (6 points from 5 games) stay as top two. 

Saturday’s only match is between Kathmandu and Lumbini.