Lumbini Lions continued their strong run in the Nepal Premier League with a composed five-wicket victory over Biratnagar Kings in Match 22 at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur on Wednesday.
After winning the toss, Lumbini chose to field and immediately found movement and pressure with the new ball. The Kings' innings, which also marked Faf du Plessis' first-ever match in the Nepal Premier League, never truly settled into rhythm as wickets fell at key moments and partnerships struggled to grow into match-defining stands.
Biratnagar's start was jolted straight away as George Munsey fell for 0. Du Plessis looked to counter-attack but departed for 12 off 9 balls, and the early damage kept Biratnagar from dictating the tempo through the powerplay. Abhishesh Gautam outfoxed du Plessis with a sharply turning delivery, having him stumped.
Lokesh Bam (35 off 42) and Sam Heazlett (27 off 20) provided the Kings with their best passage, taking the total to 59/2 at the 10-over mark. But from there, Lumbini's bowling tightened further—closing angles, forcing mistimed hits, and keeping the boundary count in check.
The turning point came through Sher Malla, who led the Lions' effort with a match-winning spell of 3/25 from 4 overs, striking at crucial moments to prevent Biratnagar from launching in the final phase. Biratnagar did receive a late push from Basir Ahamad (28 off 19), but regular wickets and two late run-outs ensured the Kings finished at 144/8—a total that always looked defendable only with early breakthroughs.
Lumbini 145/5: Short anchors, Dickwella finishes
Chasing 145, Lumbini began briskly but lost wickets along the way, including a key blow when Rohit Paudel was dismissed for 0. Still, the Lions never allowed the required rate to climb, largely due to D’Arcy Short’s controlled aggression.
Short played the anchor role with authority, scoring 57 off 44 balls with six fours and two sixes. He paced the chase smartly—rotating through the middle and cashing in on anything loose—before handing the advantage firmly to the lower order.
There were handy contributions around him, notably Sundeep Jora's 24 off 15, which injected momentum at a key stage. Once Short fell at 112, Lumbini remained calm. Niroshan Dickwella (29 off 22)* closed the chase with minimal fuss as the Lions reached 145/5 in 17.4 overs, sealing victory with 14 balls remaining.
Biratnagar's best response with the ball came from captain Sandeep Lamichhane (2/20), while Subash Bhandari (2/30) also picked up wickets, but the Kings were left needing a few more runs on the board after being kept under control in the first innings.
