Lumbini Lions booked their place in Qualifier 2 after defeating Kathmandu Gorkhas in the Nepal Premier League (NPL) Eliminator at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur, on Wednesday.
Chasing 112, the Lions completed the job at 112/6 in 17.4 overs, ending Kathmandu's campaign and keeping their own title hopes alive.
Kathmandu's collapse sets up a modest target
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Kathmandu never recovered from a brutal powerplay slide. They crashed to 29/4 inside six overs, and despite brief resistance through the middle, were bowled out for 111 in 19.1 overs.
Late cameos from Santosh Yadav (23 off 17) and Mohammad Aadil Alam (18 off 11, two sixes) dragged the Gorkhas towards a defendable number, but Lumbini's attack kept taking wickets at regular intervals to prevent any decisive surge.
Short anchors the chase as Lions stay composed
Lumbini's reply was measured rather than flashy. They were 29/1 in the powerplay, reached 49/2 at drinks (10 overs), and ensured the required rate never got away.
D'Arcy Short (33 off 34) played the stabilising role up top, while Sundeep Jora (23 off 23) and Rohit Paudel (18 off 25) provided the supporting runs through the middle phase. The Lions crossed 100 in 16.4 overs before finishing the chase in 17.4, with JJ Smit (0)* and Ruben Trumpelmann (5)* there at the end.
With this win, Lumbini Lions advance to Qualifier 2, scheduled for December 11 at 4:00 PM, where a place in the final will be on the line. Monty Desai's Kathmandu Gorkhas, meanwhile, bow out after a season that promised more than it delivered on the night that mattered most.
Umpiring flashpoints spark discussion
The Eliminator also saw umpiring decisions become a major talking point. There were concerns around a no-ball and a dead-ball call, and the biggest debate centred on D'Arcy Short's dismissal—with Kathmandu's camp and sections of the crowd questioning how the decision was reached after Short was hit on the arm before being given out caught behind. The sequence triggered visible frustration and added edge to an already high-stakes knockout contest.
