Hello and Welcome to our live coverage of the first match of Nepal Premier League 2025 between the defending champions Janakpur Bolts and Kathmandu Gorkhas from Kirtipur.
Hello and Welcome to our live coverage of the first match of Nepal Premier League 2025 between the defending champions Janakpur Bolts and Kathmandu Gorkhas from Kirtipur.
Janakpur Bolts vs Kathmandu Gorkhas, NPL 2025, will be live on Kantipur MAX HD in Nepal and Dish Home Go app. Indian viewers can watch on Star Sports and Fancode.
Check full live streaming details.
Janakpur Bolts- Bikash Aagri, Aasif Sheikh, Sangeeth Cooray, Shubh Kansakar, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Aaditya Mahata, Kishore Mahato, Mayan Yadav, Lahiru Milantha, Pappu Yadav, Wayne Parnell, Lalit Rajbanshi, Rupesh Singh, Anil Sah (c), Lahiru Samarakoon, Tul Thapa
Kathmandu Gorkhas- Sunny Patel (c), Mohammad Aadil Alam, Ben Charlesworth, Sonu Devkota, Gerhard Erasmus, Dipesh Kandel, Karan KC, Uttam Magar, Milind Kumar, Rashid Khan, Santosh Yadav, Shahab Alam, Bhim Sharki, Pratik Shrestha, John Simpson, Tul Bahadur Thapa, Aakash Tripathi, Ricardo Vasconcelos
We just got over with the toss and have an update for you. Kathmandu Gorkhas have won the toss and elected to field bowl first.
Janakpur Bolts- Aasif Sheikh(C)(WK), Anil Sah, Kishore Mahato, Lalit Rajbanshi, Mayan Yadav, Bikash Aagri, Rupesh Singh, Lahiru Milantha, Lahiru Samarakoon, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Sanjay Krishnamurthi
Kathmandu Gorkhas- Karan KC(C), Shahab Alam, Bhim Sharki, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Rashid Khan, Santosh Yadav, Aakash Tripathi, Ben Charlesworth, Milind Kumar, Gerhard Erasmus, Aadil Ansari
Aasif Sheikh gives the defending champion a solid start by hitting the bowlers to all areas of the park. The wickets looks like a belter, it's expected to be a high scoring affair.
A brilliant fight back by KMG here. That's what happens when you keep an in-form batter out of strike. Milind Kumar gets back-to-back wickets in an over that has halted the brisk start given by Sheikh.
Another wicket down as it is Milind Kumar again who has picked up his 3rd of the day. He has single handedly changed the momentum of the game in KMG's favour.
Another one bites the dust for JKB. The defending champions are losing their way in the match as the spinners are scripting a perfect comeback for KMG.
That's a half-century for Aashif Sheikh, that's a sensational knock amid all the other wickets falling around him. JKB need him to convert it into a big one from here.
That's a big jolt to JKB's chances of getting a big score here. Aasif Sheikh who was the only batter looking good for JKB has been stumped. That was quick glove work by the keeper as Aasif Sheikh was found loitering outside his crease.
100 up for JKB! A small partnership is brewing after the big wicket of Aasif Sheikh. The last three overs are expected to high scoring as the spinners have almost completed their quota and the ball is coming nicely onto the bat if there is pace.
JKB' innings which started in a promising manner courtesy to the swift start by Aasif Sheikh was initially by Milind Kumar's opening burst where he got 3 quick wickets. JKB could never really recover from it and despite Sheikh half-century still managed to out 130 runs on board.
This is the 2nd season of the Nepal Premier League. The inaugural season which happened in 2025 was won by Janakpur Bolts by defeating Sudurpaschim Royals in the finals by 5 wickets.
Both the openers of KMG are on the crease as they set off to chase down 131 runs. Kishore Mahato has the bowl in hand for JKB.
KMG off to a solid start against JKB in a chase of 131. The wicket is doing a bit for the medium pacers under lights but till now both the openers have put on a good show on a tricky wicket especially Ben Charlesworth who is dealing in maximums.
That's a spectacular return catch by Loftie Eaton and it was of the dangerous Ben Charlesworth who departs after scoring 44 of just 22 balls. But is it too late for JKB as KMG just need 58 runs off 66 balls.
Another one down here! Are we witnessing comeback here, hope so as only wickets could instill some life in this match now. Lalit Rajbanshi gets Bhim Sharki stumped for 3.
Though the rate rate has dropped considerably to what it was when Charlesworth was batting but still KMG are in a strong position as they need 40 off 42 balls with 8 wickets in hand.
Bowled! KMG loses their 3rd wicket. The wicket was on the cards as runs had dried up and the batters were etching to hit a long one.
There another wicket! Milind the mainstay with the balls falls after scoring 19 off 22 balls. It wasn't a very convincing innings but he held one end together and got his team on the verge of victory.
Two back-to-back wickets for JKB. John Simpson who hit some meaty blows with the bat and turned the match in the favour of KMG has departs and KMG loses its 5th wicket.
Here are the winning runs by Shahab Alam, a towering six followed by a single seals the deals for KMG as they win by 5 wickets with 2 overs to spare.
As we expected, Milind Kumar has been adjudged as the 'Man of the Match'. JKB were off to a flyer and Milind was the player who broke the back of JKB's innings with 3 quick wickets.
That's a wrap! We’ll be back with another live blog. Until then, bye bye.