Janakpur Bolts defeated Kathmandu Gorkhaz by eight wickets in the third season of the Nepal Premier League at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Thursday, bowling Kathmandu out for 115 before reaching their target of 116 in 17.2 overs. Rahul Yadav took four wickets for Janakpur, while Moeen Ali scored a half-century to lead the chase. The victory was Janakpur’s first of the tournament, following a 19-run defeat to Karnali Yaks in their opening match.
Rahul Yadav leads Janakpur’s bowling effort
Kathmandu Gorkhaz won the toss and chose to bat in their first match of the season. Their innings lasted 19.3 overs, ending with the side all out for 115. Janakpur’s bowlers kept the total within reach, with Yadav the standout performer after taking four wickets.
Yadav’s four-wicket return was the defining individual contribution in the first innings. By dismissing four Kathmandu batters, he helped Janakpur restrict the Gorkhaz to a total of 115, setting up a chase of 116. The innings ended before Kathmandu could use all 20 overs, leaving Janakpur with a target they went on to reach with 16 balls remaining.
For Kathmandu, the result marked a difficult start to the season. The side had elected to bat after winning the toss, but was unable to post a total that proved sufficient against Janakpur’s batting. The Gorkhaz were dismissed for 115 in 19.3 overs, and Janakpur’s response meant the contest was decided without the match going the full distance.
Moeen Ali anchors the successful chase
Janakpur began their reply needing 116 runs for victory and completed the chase in 17.2 overs, losing only two wickets. Moeen Ali struck a half-century, providing the leading contribution as Janakpur reached the target and finished the innings with eight wickets in hand.
The two-wicket loss left Janakpur well placed to complete the pursuit without needing to expose the remainder of their batting line-up. The team reached 116 before the end of its allotted overs, turning a modest target into a decisive win. Ali’s half-century was central to that result, while the successful chase also reflected Janakpur’s ability to avoid losing more than two wickets.
The margin and the time remaining underline the contrast between the two innings: Kathmandu were all out with three balls left in their allotted 20 overs, while Janakpur reached the winning target with 16 balls to spare. Janakpur’s eight-wicket victory was confirmed in 17.2 overs, bringing the match to a close before the scheduled end of their innings.
First win for Janakpur in the season
The result gave Janakpur their first victory in the third-season NPL campaign. They had opened the tournament with a 19-run loss to Karnali Yaks, making Thursday’s win a response to that opening defeat. The victory moved them from a loss in their first outing to a win in their next match, though no further standings details were available in the match information provided.
Kathmandu, meanwhile, were playing their first match of the season. Their opening fixture ended with a total of 115 and an eight-wicket defeat, as Janakpur’s bowlers and Ali’s half-century shaped the outcome. The match at the TU International Cricket Ground thus offered Janakpur a first win and left Kathmandu with a loss in their season debut.
The key figures from the match were Yadav’s four wickets and Ali’s half-century, alongside the team totals: Kathmandu Gorkhaz 115 all out in 19.3 overs, and Janakpur Bolts reaching 116 in 17.2 overs for the loss of two wickets. Those contributions secured Janakpur’s eight-wicket win in Kirtipur and ended their opening-match losing run in the tournament.
