Janakpur Bolts produced a commanding chase in Match 20 of the Nepal Premier League in Kirtipur, hunting down Chitwan Rhinos' 176/4 with time and wickets in hand. The win was set up by a blistering middle-overs surge from Maaz Sadaqat and Anil Sah, who ensured the asking rate never became a problem.
Earlier, Chitwan looked well-placed for a bigger finish after a strong opening stand. Dawid Malan anchored the innings with 80 off 54 (4 fours, 5 sixes), while Arjun Saud struck a fluent 52 off 39 (4 fours, 3 sixes). The pair added 112 for the first wicket, taking Chitwan past 100 inside 13 overs, before Janakpur pulled things back with wickets through the middle.
Chitwan still finished with a competitive total thanks to captain Kushal Malla's late burst—30 not out off 14 balls, including two fours and two sixes—lifting them to 176/4 from 20 overs.
In response, Janakpur signaled intent early, crossing 50 inside six overs and posting 59/1 in the powerplay. After the fall of Aasif Sheikh for 18, Sadaqat and Sah took complete control, combining power-hitting with smart placement. Sadaqat hammered 63 off 30 (6 fours, 4 sixes), while Sah matched the tempo with 61 off 36 (4 fours, 3 sixes), effectively deciding the contest before the final push.
Even after both set batters departed—Sadaqat at 124 and Sah at 156—Janakpur stayed composed. Aaditya Mahata (18* off 7) provided the finishing touches as Janakpur closed at 180/4 in 17.3 overs.
Player of the Match: Anil Sah (61 off 36 & 1/30)
Score Summary:
Chitwan Rhinos 176/4 (20 ov)
Janakpur Bolts 180/4 (17.3 ov) — Janakpur won by 6 wickets (15 balls remaining)
