Biratnagar's Martin Guptill said - 'I too had a hard time batting at the beginning, I did not think that the team would be all out on this score'.
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Janakpur Bolts got off to a winning start in Nepal Premier League (NPL) cricket with Lahiru Milantha's unbeaten 75 runs.
Janakpur beat Biratnagar Kings by 8 wickets in the first match of NPL on Saturday. Sri Lanka-born American player Milantha scored 75 unbeaten runs off 53 balls and Janakpur completed the target of 128 runs in 15.3 overs at the Trivi Ground in Kirtipur. After Lahiru hit 9 fours and 3 sixes in 53 balls, Janakpur scored 131 runs.
Lahiru shared an unbeaten partnership of 116 runs with Harsh Thacker for the third wicket and gave Janakpur a comfortable victory. Thacker scored 29 runs from 33 balls with 2 fours. When the score was tied, he hit the winning boundary off Nicholas Kirtan.
Janakpur took full advantage of Biratnagar's unruly bowling. Biratnagar conceded 22 runs in the over. Chris Soul bowled 3 wides in the first over, with the first ball of the innings going for a boundary on the legside. It was Sol who bowled Asif Shaikh for a wicket in the first over. Captain Anil Sah also scored 5 runs and was bowled by Pratish JC.
Earlier, even though Martin Guptill scored a half-century, Biratnagar lost the toss and came into bat and were bowled out for 127 runs in 19 overs. Guptill scored 55 off 43 balls. The former opener of New Zealand, he hit 7 fours and 1 six. In the 13th over
He completed his personal fifty by hitting Ben Mike for a straight six. In the next over, Harsh Thacker got him caught at long-on by captain Anil Shah.
The wicket was not easy, it was difficult for me to bat in the beginning, the ball was coming. I didn't think that the team would be all out on this score," said Guptill. "This was the first match where the entire team played together, that's why it was difficult to find balance in the team. I hope everything will be fine from the next game.
Biratnagar's start was not good. Lokesh Bomb, who hit a boundary in the first over of the match, was bowled by Lalit Rajvanshi on the first ball of the second over. Lokesh could score only 5 runs. Aqib Ilyas also scored only 15 runs in 18 balls. Former Oman captain Ilyas was dismissed lbw by Mohammad Mohsin. Apart from Guptill and Ilyas, others from Biratnagar could not score double scores.
Nicholas Kirtan 9, Rajesh Pulami 1, Pratish JC 2, Basir Ahmed and Sandeep Lamichhane were dismissed for 7 and Chris Soule was dismissed for 4 runs. His Canadian captain Kirtan was bowled by Thackeray. Jitendra Mukhia could not open the account. Anil Kharel remained unbeaten on 7 runs. Lalit took 3 wickets from Janakpur. He spent 28 runs in 4 overs. Thacker and Kishore Mahato took 2 each and Mohsin and Mike took 1 each. Thacker spent 22 runs in 4 overs and Kishore 18 runs in 3 overs.
full since morning
The spectators eagerly waiting for the NPL had reached the Kirtipur ground since morning. The open parapet of Kirtipur Maidan was full. Due to the security of the police, the spectators and invitees were not able to enter the stadium.
Organizer Nepal Cricket Association (CAN) has said that the ticket money will be refunded to the spectators who were not able to enter the stadium despite buying tickets. There will be no match on Sunday due to local by-elections. Kathmandu Gurkhaz and Chitwan Rhinos and Janakpur Bolts and Karnali Yaks will face each other on Monday.
Sudurpaschim Royals has roped in Global IME Bank as the main sponsor. On Saturday, the owner of Sudurpaschim, Swatantra Pratap Shah and Deputy Chief Executive Officer Suman Pokharel from Global IME signed the sponsorship agreement.
The same Milantha Lahiru Milantha returned to Nepal after two years. However, there was not much difference between the Milantha of the past and the Milantha of today. He played for Lumbini Allstars in the controversial Nepal T-20 League two years ago. He scored 349 runs at a strike rate of 122 while making Allstars the winner.
He was third in the list of highest run scorers in that tournament. Milantha scored 41 off 28 balls in the final against Biratnagar Super Kings. He returned to Nepal after two years and remained the same. After freezing on the wicket, he celebrated every boundary. He scored a fifty off 39 balls. Anil Sah, the captain of Janakpur, said that it was easy for the team when Milantha stayed on the wicket.
