Lumbini Lions overpower Chitwan Rhinos with nine balls to spare in clinical chase

Lumbini Lions delivered a composed and disciplined performance to defeat Chitwan Rhinos by six wickets in the fifth match of the Nepal Premier League 2025 at the TU International Cricket Ground on Thursday.

After restricting Chitwan to 142 for 7, Lumbini successfully chased down the target in 18.3 overs, with Gulbadin Naib anchoring the innings through an excellent unbeaten 44 off 24 balls.

Match 5·NPLT20 2025

OtherT20

ChitwanCHR

142/7(20 ov)

LumbiniLUL

146/4(18.3/20 ov)

LUL won by 6 wickets

Earlier, Chitwan Rhinos struggled to find rhythm after being sent in to bat. The innings began poorly when Dawid Malan fell for a duck in the first over, and Deepak Bohara soon followed for 10 as the Lions’ bowlers maintained tight lines. Dev Khanal tried to stabilize the innings with 14 from 19 balls before becoming the third wicket. The middle phase belonged to Lumbini as Ruben Trumpelmann and Abhishesh Gautam controlled the scoring rate with sharp pace and variations.

Ravi Bopara was once again the standout for Chitwan, crafting a valiant 66 from 55 balls with four fours and two sixes. His experience allowed the side to rebuild from early setbacks, pushing the total past 140 despite wickets falling around him.

Kushal Malla contributed a brisk 21 from 18 balls, while Saif Zaib’s 15 off seven kept the innings moving. Trumpelmann finished with impressive figures of 3 for 23, earning him the Player of the Match award, while Gautam’s spell of 2 for 15 ensured Chitwan never accelerated freely.

In reply, Lumbini Lions began steadily, though they lost D'Arcy Short for 11 in the second over. Sundeep Jora injected early momentum with a lively 28 off 18 balls, striking four boundaries before falling at 51 for 2. The chase remained measured as captain Rohit Paudel played a compact innings of 39 off 44 balls, anchoring one end while rotating the strike effectively.

Gulbadin Naib then took control of the chase in authoritative fashion. His unbeaten 44 from 24 deliveries featured three fours and three sixes, shifting the momentum firmly in Lumbini's favor. He found support from JJ Smit, who remained unbeaten on four, as Lumbini crossed the finish line with nine balls to spare.

The Rhinos' bowlers fought hard, with Rijan Dhakal and Sohail Tanvir picking up two wickets each, but the target proved insufficient against a composed Lions batting unit.