United stay in hunt; Goldens win, again

Sagar Dhakal of Mahendranager United bowls against CYC Attariya during their Ruslan Dhangadhi Premier League match in Dhangadhi on Sunday. Photo: Udipt Singh Chhetry / THT

Dhangadhi, February 17

Mahendranagar United stayed in the playoffs race with a seven-wicket victory over CYC Attariya in the Ruslan Dhangadhi Premier League here at the proposed Fapla International Stadium today.

In the match which was reduced to six-over-a-side due to wet outfield, Attariya posted 54-5 before United raced to 55-3 with two balls to spare. United accumulated four points after their first win in the fifth and final match, while Attariya also have four points with two games in hand.

Attariya openers Sunny Patel and Jaykishan Kolsawala put in 30 runs in 2.4 overs before Sagar Dhakal sent both of them in two consecutive balls. Patel struck two sixes in his 11-ball 19, while Kolsawala scored 10 off six balls hitting a six.

Skipper Dipendra Singh Airee, who hit a four in his seven-ball 10, was the only other batsman to score in double figures. Dhakal returned with 2-9 from one over and he also earned the man-of-the-match award.

Abinash Bohara claimed 2-19 and skipper Sharad Vesawkar bagged one wicket.

In reply, United opener Subramanian Anand top scored with 17 off just nine balls that included two boundaries and a six. Aarif Sheikh then took the team to victory with an unbeaten 15 off seven balls hitting one each four and six. Bhuban Karki took 2-18 for Attariya, while Dipendra Rawat claimed one wicket.

In another match, Kathmandu Goldens thrashed Rupandehi Challengers by 100 runs to record their third victory.

Batting first, the Goldens posted 133-7 in their allotted 20 overs before packing the Challengers to a paltry 33 runs in 15.1 overs. Rupandehi’s total is all time low in the history of DPL as they beat their own total of 56 runs scored in the previous edition.

And Goldens’ 100-run victory margin is the biggest in this year’s DPL.

Chasing a modest target, none of the Challengers batsmen could score in double digit. Sumit Maharjan top scored for the team with five runs. Nandan Yadav was the was the pick of the Goldens bowlers taking 3-5 in 3.1 overs, while Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi and Surya Tamang claimed two wickets each.

Ankit Dabas and Yogendra Singh Karki bagged one wicket apiece.

Earlier, Dabas top scored for Goldens with 43 off 40 balls that included one four and three sixes. Dabas and Mehboob Alam (11) added 33 runs for the fourth wicket.

Opener Anil Kumar Sah scored 26-ball 23 hitting two boundaries and a six.

Skipper Gyanendra Malla contributed 12, while Rashid Khan struck two fours and a six in his five-ball 14 and Yogendra Singh Karki scored 13.

Anil Kharel took 2-19 for Challengers, while Bikram Sob and Puneet Mehra grabbed one wicket each.

Unbeaten Goldens accumulated seven points from four matches and are at the top of the table. Four teams, Attariya, Challengers, Mahendranagar United and Biratnagar Kings have four points each, while defending champions Dhangadhi Stars have already been eliminated.

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