Biratnagar Kings have registered their second consecutive win in the Nepal Premier League (NPL). The team defeated Kathmandu Gorkhas by 5 wickets in their second match on Saturday.

Biratnagar achieved the target of 135 runs in 17.1 overs under the floodlights of the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur. Biratnagar is the next team after Sudurpaschim Royals to win their first two matches. Biratnagar scored the highest score of 220 runs in the NPL in the first match and won by 53 runs against Pokhara Avengers. 

Kathmandu has lost for the second consecutive match since defeating defending champion Janakpur Bolts by 5 wickets in the first match. The team had earlier lost to Sudurpaschim by 29 runs.

Biratnagar laid the foundation for victory with the aggressive batting of foreign players George Mansi and Martin Guptill. After Lokesh Bam hit 2 sixes and scored 14 runs in 10 balls, Mansi and Guptill added 53 runs in 24 balls for the second wicket.

Mansi scored 36 runs in 16 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes and Guptill scored 25 runs in 19 balls with 2 fours and 1 six. Bashir Ahmed was out for 19 runs in 17 balls, hitting 1 four and a six. Naren Bhatt returned to the pavilion after 24 runs in 30 balls, including 2 fours. 

Shubham Ranjani scored 6 runs in 8 balls and captain Sandeep Lamichhane remained unbeaten on 9 runs in 3 balls. Sandeep hit a four off captain Karan KC to score the winning run. Gorkhaz's Shahab Alam took 2 for 19 runs in 4 overs, while captain Karan, Santosh Yadav and Gerhard Erasmus took 1 wicket each. 

Earlier, Kathmandu, who were invited to bat after losing the toss, batted weakly and could only score 134 runs in the stipulated 20 overs, losing 6 wickets. Adil Alam Ansari scored an unbeaten 48 runs. He hit 4 fours and 2 sixes in 25 balls. Due to this, Kathmandu was able to score a remarkable score of 63 runs in the last 5 overs, losing 1 wicket. 

Kathmandu could only score 22 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in the first 6 overs of the power play. The team could only hit a total of 6 fours and 5 sixes. Aakash Tripathi was dismissed for duck in the first over. Ricardo Vasconcelos was run out for 3 runs. Prateek Shrestha, who got his first chance in the tournament, could also score only 2 runs. Aakash and Prateek were dismissed by Merchant de Lange. Erasmus was also dismissed for 10 runs.

Opener Ben Charlesworth scored 32 runs in 33 balls with 1 four and 2 sixes. He was dismissed by Ranjan in the 13th over. After that, Adil and Santosh shared a 45-run partnership for the sixth wicket in 30 balls. Santosh scored 26 runs in 24 balls with 1 four. John Simpson remained unbeaten on 7 runs in 5 balls. Player of the Match De Lange took 2 wickets for 17 runs in 4 overs, while Sandeep, Ranjan and Surya Tamang took 1 wicket each.

Second century scored in NPL

Mark Watt's century gave Karnali Yaks their first victory. After Watt's brilliant innings, Karnali easily defeated Lumbini Lions by 9 wickets.

Lumbini, who were invited to bat after losing the toss, scored 156 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 20 overs. Watt scored an unbeaten 114 runs, and Karnali won the match by scoring 161 runs in 12.2 overs. Watt's score is his first individual century in this season's NPL and the second century in NPL history. He hit 6 fours and 12 sixes in 44 balls. Watt completed his century in 41 balls. 

He took full advantage of Lumbini's weak fielding. When Watt was on 20, wicketkeeper Sameer Ali dropped a catch off Ruben Trumpman. Then Watt got another lifeline on 39 runs. Abhishek Gautam dropped another catch on Sher Malla's ball at square leg.

Taking advantage of that, Karnali scored 63 runs in the first 6 overs of the power play. Even though Sher dismissed Priyank Panchal for 12 runs, it was a momentary success for Lumbini. Watt shared an unbeaten 123-run partnership with William Bosisto for the second wicket. Bosisto remained unbeaten on 29 runs off 20 balls, including 2 fours and 1 six. 

Karnali came back to win the second match. The team had lost to Chitwan Rhinos in the first match. Lumbini lost for the first time in the second match. 

Earlier, Lumbini's captain Rohit Poudel was dismissed for 49 runs. He hit 4 fours and 2 sixes off 43 balls. In the 17th over, Karnali captain Sompal Kami dismissed Rohit. Rohit played that innings to improve the miserable situation of scoring only 7 runs for the loss of 1 wicket in 4 overs. Lumbini played under pressure most of the time after Sandeep Jora was dismissed for 1 run in the second over by Nandan Yadav after playing 8 balls. 

D'RC shot scored 19 runs in 14 balls with 4 fours. But after Dilip Nath was dismissed for 6 in 4 balls, Gulbaddin Naib for 7 in 9 balls, and Sumit Maharjan for 7 in 10 balls, Rohit pulled out the innings in a time of pressure. Namibian players JJ Smit and Ruben Trumpelman played aggressively and Lumbini put up a good score. Smit scored 23 runs in 14 balls with 2 fours and 1 six, while Trumpelman remained unbeaten on 29 runs in 14 balls with 1 four and 3 sixes. Another unbeaten batter, Sher, scored 7 runs. Sameer Ali was run out for 1 run. Karnali's Nandan took 2 wickets for 38 runs in 4 overs, while Sompal, Gulshan Jha, Bipin Sharma, Yuvraj Khatri and Mark Watt took 1 wicket each.