Kathmandu Gorkhas Vs Sudur Paschim Royals Highlights, Nepal Premier League: SPR Stun KAG By 29 Runs In Low-Scoring Match

Sudur Paschim Royals: Dipendra Singh Airee (c), Chris Lynn, Harmeet Singh, Scott Kuggeleijn, Binod Bhandari (wk), Aarif Sheikh, Ishan Pandey, Abinash Bohara, Josh Brown, Hemant Dhami, Dipak Bohara, Naren Saud, Milan Bohara, Dipendra Thapa, Tek Rawat

Kathmandu Gorkhas: Aakash Tripathi, Ben Charlesworth, Bhim Sharki, Milind Kumar, John Simpson (wk), Gerhard Erasmus, Mohammad Aadil Alam, Rashid Khan, Santosh Yadav, Shahab Alam, Karan KC (c)

Kathmandu Gorkhas won the toss and elected to bowl first against Sudur Paschim Royals.

Sudur Paschim Royals: Chris Lynn, Binod Bhandari (wk), Josh Brown, Dipendra Singh Airee (c), Aarif Sheikh, Ishan Pandey, Naren Saud, Harmeet Singh, Hemant Dhami, Abinash Bohara, Scott Kuggeleijn

Kathmandu Gorkhas: Aakash Tripathi, Ben Charlesworth, Bhim Sharki, Milind Kumar, John Simpson (w), Sunny Patel, Mohammad Aadil Alam, Karan KC (c), Rashid Khan, Santosh Yadav, Shahab Alam

Kathmandu Gorkhas skipper Karan KC has struck twice in the very first over! He is really lucky to get Josh Brown's scalp as the opener got a thick inside edge onto his pad, but the umpire wrongly adjudged him LBW. He then has Binod Bhandari caught by Bhim Sharki off the last ball of the over. Meanwhile, the vastly experienced Chris Lynn makes his Nepal Premier League debut; he'll hold the key for the Sudur Paschim Royals.

SPR: 2/2 (2)

The Gorkhas continue to strike in the powerplay. Captain Karan KC picks up his third wicket, getting rid of big fish Chris Lynn for 2 off 10. Milind Kumar then has Ishan Pandey caught by Mohammad Aadil Alam and the Royals are four down and in heaps of trouble.

The Royals lose half their side at the halfway stage of their innings. Aarif Sheikh falls to Rashid Khan, a Nepalese player not to be confused with the star Afghan all-rounder, and that brings Naren Saud into the middle alongside captain Dipendra Singh Airee. The Royals skipper is well known around the cricketing world for his six-hitting abilities and Gorkhas would no doubt be wary of that.

Naren Saud is the latest batter to be dismissed, Milind Kumar having him caught by Bhim Sharki. The Royals' batting disappointment continues and Harmeet Singh now joins Dipendra Singh Airee. Harmeet needs to lend some support to Airee, failing which the captain would find it hard to strike them big in the death overs.

Harmeet Singh is playing a game-changing knock! As the memers would say these days, the Gorkhas would have prepared for Dipendra Airee but Harmeet came out of syllabus. The southpaw has clattered 47 off 16 and he is not done yet.

Harmeet Singh falls for an entertaining 20-ball 53 and the Royals innings eventually folds up for 147 in 20 overs, which is a creditable total considering they were five down for 59 after 10 overs. Let's see how the Gorkhas manage this chase.

SPR: 147 all out (20)

Ben Charlesworth and Aakash Tripathi get Gorkhas' chase underway in a confident manner, rattling off 18 runs off the first nine balls. But Hemant Dhami gets rid of Charlesworth to bring the Royals right back in the contest. The required run rate is just around seven an over, and Dipendra Airee and Co will need to keep scalping wickets at regular intervals, if they are to make a match of this.

KAG: 20/1 (2)

The Royals are well and truly in the game now. They have sent back Bhim Sharki and then run out Santosh Yadav to leave the Gorkhas three down after five overs. John Simpson has joined opener Aakash Tripathi in the middle, and the equation could get interesting from here on.

John Simpson and Aakash Tripathi are building a crucial stand for the Gorkhas. Royals skipper Airee goes for 16 in his first over but comes back for a second nevertheless. The required run rate is now at around six an over and the Royals have their backs against the wall again.

Ishan Pandey traps John Simpson in front to break the partnership, and Harmeet Singh then gets rid of Aakash Tripathi, Mohammad Aadil Alam off successive deliveries to leave the Gorkhas six down and in genuine trouble. The asking rate is still quite manageable, but the fall of wickets could derail them.

That's a wicket and with it the innings of KAG comes to an end. Abinash Bohra gets his 1st wicket and it's the last wicket of the match. SPR win the match by 29 wins.