Kathmandu, December 15
Scott Kuggeleijn’s exceptional bowling performance, taking five wickets, led Sudurpaschim Royals to a dramatic five-run win over Pokhara Avengers in the Nepal Premier League (NPL).
Chasing a target of 154 runs set by Sudurpaschim, Pokhara fell short at 148 runs, getting all out with two balls to spare. Despite needing only eight runs from the final six balls, Pokhara collapsed under pressure, losing three wickets and managing just two runs in the last over.
Kuggeleijn was instrumental in sealing the victory, claiming three wickets in the decisive final over and finishing with impressive figures of 5 wickets for 18 runs, including a maiden, in 3.4 overs. For Pokhara, Andres Gaus scored the highest with 36 runs, while Raymon Reifer and Kiran Thagunna contributed 33 and 32 runs, respectively.
Harmit Singh also played a crucial role for Sudurpaschim, taking three wickets.
With their fifth win in six matches, Sudurpaschim now sits atop the standings with 10 points, overtaking Janakpur Bolts on net run rate. Janakpur drops to second place despite having the same points.
This victory strengthens Sudurpaschim’s chances of finishing in the top two and securing a spot in the first qualifier. They will face Karnali Yaks in their final league match on Monday.
So far, three teams—Janakpur, Sudurpaschim, and Chitwan Rhinos—have secured playoff spots. The fourth playoff team will be decided after Monday’s match. Karnali can advance as the fourth team unless they lose to Sudurpaschim by a margin of over 53 runs. If that happens, Kathmandu will edge past Karnali on net run rate and claim the last playoff spot.
