Sudur Paschim Royals Vs Lumbini Lions Highlights, Nepal Premier League Final: LUL Coast To First Title

Lumbini Lions: D Arcy Short, Dinesh Adhikari, Rohit Paudel (c), Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Sundeep Jora, JJ Smit, Dilip Nath, Ruben Trumpelmann, Sher Malla, Abhishesh Gautam, Tilak Bhandari, Aadil Khan, Durgesh Gupta, Thomas Draca, Sumit Maharjan, Bishal Patel, Sameer Ali Musalman

Sudur Paschim Royals: Mukhtar Ahmed, Binod Bhandari (wk), Sheldon Jackson, Ishan Pandey, Dipendra Singh Airee (c), Harmeet Singh, Aarif Sheikh, Scott Kuggeleijn, Milan Bohara, Hemant Dhami, Abinash Bohara, Dhruv Parashar, Dipak Bohara, Naren Saud, Dipendra Thapa, Tek Rawat, Josh Brown, Chris Lynn, Hikmat Mahara, Puneet Mehra

Sudur Paschim Royals have won the toss and elected to bat first against the Lumbini Lions.

Sudur Paschim Royals: Sheldon Jackson, Binod Bhandari (wk), Puneet Mehra, Ishan Pandey, Dipendra Singh Airee (c), Harmeet Singh, Aarif Sheikh, Dipak Bohara, Scott Kuggeleijn, Hemant Dhami, Abinash Bohara

Lumbini Lions: D Arcy Short, Dinesh Adhikari, Rohit Paudel (c), Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Sundeep Jora, Movin Subasingha, Dilip Nath, Ruben Trumpelmann, Sher Malla, Abhishesh Gautam, Tilak Bhandari

Ruben Trumpelmann has the ball in hand for Lumbini Lions and Sudur Paschim Royals opener Ishan Pandey on strike against him. Binod Bhandari is the non-striker. Trumpelmann appears to draw Pandey's outside edge off the second ball but the umpire is unmoved. It's really loud at the stadium with a full house, and the umpires as well as players would have a hard time listening to the sounds that matter during the game.

Lumbini Lions are in the driver's seat, having dislodged three Sudur Paschim Royals top-order batters in the powerplay. Binod Bhandari, Sheldon Jackson and Aarif Sheikh are all gone, and skipper Dipendra Singh Airee is at the crease alongside Ishan Pandey. Ruben Trumpelmann has returned figures of 2/3 in two overs so far, and the Royals are in desperate need of a partnership.

SPR: 29/3 (8)

Lumbini Lions further strengthen their grip on the contest as their captain Rohit Paudel picks up a hat-trick. He dismisses his opposite number Dipendra Singh Airee, and then Dipak Bohara and Puneet Mehra off successive deliveries to finish with exceptional figures of 3/12 in four overs. The Royals are staring down the barrel.

SPR: 47/6 (13)

Sher Malla follows up his captain Rohit Paudel's performance with a three-wicket haul of his own. The 23-year-old spinner finishes with figures of 3/18 in four overs as the Royals are left eight down and in danger of a thrashing in the final.

SPR: 72/8 (17)

The demolition job is complete. Lumbini Lions bundle Sudur Paschim Royals out for 85 in 19.1 overs as Ruben Trumpelmann is third Lions bowler to claim a three-fer today. Trumpelmann's figures read a remarkable 3/3 in 2.1 overs as the Royals endure a horror show with the bat. Can they somehow turn it around with the ball?

Well, well. How's that for a start? Dinesh Adhikari clobbers Royals skipper Dipendra Singh Airee for four sixes, including three in a row, as the opening over goes for 27 runs. The Lions need just 59 more for their maiden title. This could get over really quickly.

LUL: 27/0 (1)

The Lions are certainly in a hurry to lift the trophy. They smash 45 runs off the first three overs before the Royals pull things back a bit, cleaning up D'Arcy Short for 14 and then Dinesh Adhikari for a 13-ball 42 blitzkrieg. Captain Rohit Paudel joins former Sri Lanka wicket-keeper Niroshan Dickwella in the middle, and strokes two elegant boundaries to signal his intent early.

LUL: 67/2 (5)

Lumbini Lions are champions! What a journey it has been, from bottom of the pile in the previous season to claiming the Nepal Premier League title in 2025. They lose a few wickets at the doorstep but eventually cross the finish line with ease, going past a paltry 86-run target in nine overs.

LUL: 86/4 (9) beat SPR 85 all out by six wickets