By Sachit Subba ⢠Cricket ⢠Nov 20, 2025 15:28 PM ⢠33 views
Kathmandu: The Lumbini Lions have announced their arrival in the second season of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) with a clinical 6-wicket victory over the Chitwan Rhinos. In a contest that served as a redemption arc for the Lionsâwho finished at the bottom of the table last seasonâthey chased down a target of 143 with nine balls to spare, handing Chitwan their first defeat of the tournament.
Naib and Paudel Anchor the Chase
The chase began with a tactical surprise as Sandeep Jora was promoted to open alongside Australian international D'Arcy Short. While the experiment showed promise, Lumbini faced early jitters. Short (11 off 6) started aggressively with a boundary and a six but was bowled by Rijan Dhakal in the second over, shortly after surviving a dropped catch by Deepak Bohara. Jora looked sharp for his 28 but fell to a catch by Kushal Malla off Dhakal, leaving the Lions at 51-2 inside the powerplay. The middle overs saw a period of consolidation. Captain Rohit Paudel anchored the innings, stabilising the ship even as partner Dilip Nath was run out for 10. With the equation tightening to 70 runs needed off the final 60 balls, the game hung in the balance. The turning point came via the blade of Gulbadin Naib. The Afghan all-rounder, who was handed a lifeline when Sohail Tanvir dropped him on 29, made Chitwan pay dearly. Naib blasted an unbeaten 44 off just 24 deliveries, peppering the boundary with three fours and three sixes. Although Captain Paudel (39 off 44) fell to Tanvir with just two runs required for victory, Naib ensured there were no further hiccups, steering Lumbini home in 18.3 overs. For Chitwan, Rijan Dhakal was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets, while Tanvir claimed one.
Chitwan Stumbles Despite Bopara's Heroics
Earlier, Lumbini Lions won the toss and elected to fieldâa decision that paid immediate dividends. Lumbini's pace attack, led by Ruben Trumpelmann, dismantled the Chitwan top order. Trumpelmann produced a dream start, removing star batter Dawid Malan for a golden duck on the second ball of the innings. Chitwan struggled to find momentum in the power play, managing only 32 runs. Opener Deepak Bohara (10) was stumped off Abhishek Gautam, and Dev Khanal laboured to a 19-ball 14 before being caught by Jora off Abhishek. Reeling at 51 runs after 10 overs, Chitwan looked set for a sub-par total. However, veteran English all-rounder Ravi Bopara once again proved his worth. Fresh off a half-century against Karnali in the opener, Bopara struck a gritty 66 off 55 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes). He shared crucial partnershipsâ44 runs with Kushal Malla (who fell for 21 to Trumpelmann) and 41 runs with Saif Zaib (15)âto drag Chitwan to a respectable 142-7. Trumpelmann finished with impressive figures of 3-23 from his four overs, supported well by Abhishek Gautam and Gulbadin Naib, who took two wickets apiece.
The Big Picture
This victory moves Lumbini Lions to 2 points from their opening game, mirroring Chitwan Rhinos, who now sit on 2 points with one win and one loss. Historically, this fixture holds weight; Lumbini's solitary win last season came against Chitwan. This year, however, they have started on the front foot, signalling a much stronger campaign ahead.
Up Next
The NPL action continues tomorrow as the Pokhara Rhino take on the Sudurpaschim Royals at 4:00 PM.
