Janakpur Bolts defeated Kathmandu Gorkhas by eight wickets in a Nepal Premier League match at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Thursday, chasing a target of 116 in 17.2 overs. Moeen Ali anchored the successful pursuit with an unbeaten 58, while Saif Hasan contributed 40. Kathmandu, who batted first after winning the toss, were bowled out for 115 in 19.3 overs, with Bhim Sharki top-scoring with 33.
Kathmandu Gorkhas fall short after batting first
Kathmandu’s innings ended at 115, leaving Janakpur a modest target to secure the win. The Gorkhas were dismissed with three balls remaining in their allotted 20 overs, and no batter passed Sharki’s 33. His score was the highest individual contribution in an innings that ultimately did not provide enough runs to defend against Janakpur’s chase.
A mid-innings update reported Kathmandu at 66 for four after 10 overs, reflecting the wickets they had lost by the halfway point. The team therefore had to rebuild while also looking to add runs in the second half of its innings. However, Kathmandu were eventually all out at 115 in 19.3 overs, leaving Janakpur with a target of 116.
The target required Janakpur to score at an average of 5.8 runs per over across the full 20 overs. The Bolts reached it with 16 balls to spare, completing the chase in 17.2 overs. Their finish meant Kathmandu’s total was not enough to take the match into the final stages of the allotted innings.
Moeen Ali and Saif Hasan lead the chase
Moeen’s unbeaten 58 was the defining score of Janakpur’s innings. He remained at the crease until the target was reached, ensuring the Bolts had a batter in place to complete the chase. Saif’s 40 gave the innings another substantial contribution, and the two scores formed the core of Janakpur’s pursuit.
Janakpur had reached 55 for two after 10 overs, according to a mid-innings update. From that point, the side needed to continue scoring steadily and avoid losing further wickets at a rate that could complicate the chase. It went on to reach 116 in 17.2 overs, finishing eight wickets ahead of Kathmandu. The final margin reflects both the number of wickets Janakpur had in hand and its completion of the chase before the end of the scheduled 20 overs.
A decisive result for Janakpur
The result was built on a contrast between Kathmandu’s 115 all out and Janakpur’s more productive chase. While Sharki led Kathmandu’s scoring with 33, the Bolts had two major contributions in Moeen and Saif, who scored 58 and 40 respectively. Their innings gave Janakpur the runs it needed to move past the target without requiring the chase to go to the final over.
For Kathmandu, the task was to defend 115 after being dismissed in 19.3 overs. Janakpur’s pursuit left little room for the Gorkhas’ bowlers to protect the total once Moeen and Saif had established the leading scores. The Bolts secured the eight-wicket victory in 17.2 overs at the TU Cricket Ground, while Kathmandu were left short of the 116 required to win.
Janakpur’s win was completed with two wickets down, and Moeen remained unbeaten at the close. The Bolts reached the target 16 balls before the end of a full 20-over innings, closing out a straightforward chase after restricting Kathmandu to 115. Sharki’s 33 was the highest score for the Gorkhas, but it was Moeen’s unbeaten half-century and Saif’s 40 that shaped the match’s decisive second innings.
