The first day of the final of the Jai Trophy Men's Elite Cup cricket between Tribhuvan Army Club and Nepal Police Club was exciting. In the three-day match, a team was allowed to bat a maximum of 80 overs in the first innings.

The match started only after lunch as the field was wet due to the previous day's storm and rain. The way Army batted at the Upper Mulpani Ground on Tuesday, it seemed that even 80 overs would not be enough for the team. However, after Rashid Khan's excellent bowling, Army lost the last 5 wickets for just 22 runs.

Rashid took 4 wickets out of them. He spent only 17 runs in 4 overs, including 1 maiden. Lalit Rajbanshi and Karan KC took 3 wickets each. Lalit, who took 3 wickets in the top order, scored 45 runs with 3 maidens in 18 overs and Karan scored 49 runs with 1 maiden in 13.2 overs. At one point, Army was at 105 runs with 1 wicket lost. Then, Army, who were 199-5, were all out for 221 runs after playing 58.2 overs. Opener Tritaraj Das scored 32 runs with 6 fours in 34 balls. Another opener Imran Sheikh scored 50 runs in 137 balls. Bhim Sarki was out for 39 runs. He hit 5 fours and 1 six in 49 balls. Captain Vinod Bhandari was out for 9 runs. Bashir Ahmed and Kushal Malla played important innings of 30 and 38 runs respectively. Bashir hit 4 fours and 1 six in 35 balls and Kushal hit 5 fours and 2 sixes in 48 balls. 

But then Rashid dismissed Sompal Kami, Naren Saud and Pawan Karki in the same over. Sompal scored 17 runs while Naren and Pawan failed to open their accounts.  Rashid also dismissed Shahab Alam for a duck.  Kushal was the last batsman to be dismissed. 

At the end of the first day's play, the defending champions Police had also scored 41 runs and lost 3 wickets.  Opener Dinesh Kharel scored 11 runs with 2 fours in 33 balls and Rashid is unbeaten on 3 runs.  Amit Shrestha was out for 1, Kushal Bhurtel for 18 and Dilsad Ali for 1 run.  Sompal took 2 and Akash Chand took 1 wicket for Army.