Pokhara Avengers Secure First Nepal Premier League Win Against Karnali Yaks

The Pokhara Avengers secured their first victory of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) season on Monday by defeating the Karnali Yaks by 63 runs at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. The win brought an end to a difficult four-match losing streak for Pokhara, while Karnali remained at four points after suffering their third loss of the tournament.

Batting first after the match schedule was set by the Cricket Association of Nepal, the Avengers posted a formidable total of 217 for three in their allotted 20 overs. Yuvraj Samra led the charge for Pokhara with a brilliant century, scoring 102 runs off just 48 balls. He was strongly supported by Kushal Bhurtel, who contributed 62 runs from 39 deliveries, and Chamika Karunaratne, who added an unbeaten 35 runs off 11 balls.

Facing a target of 218 runs, the Karnali Yaks struggled to build the necessary partnerships and were bowled out for 154 runs in 18.3 overs. Pawan Sarraf was the top scorer for Karnali with 32 runs, while Ariful Islam added 24 runs and Dipak Dumre chipped in with 22 runs.

Pokhara's bowling attack capitalized on the pressure during the chase, led by Mehedi Hasan, who claimed three wickets. Dhananjaya Lakshan, Kushal Bhurtel, and Bipin Khatri also contributed effectively with the ball, picking up two wickets each to seal the comprehensive victory for their side.

Earlier in the tournament schedule, teams such as the Kathmandu Gorkhas and Chitwan Rhinos also featured prominently in the third edition of the NPL, which runs until November 21. Kathmandu Gorkhas entered their matches displaying strong form, sitting near the top of the standings.

During a recent encounter against the Chitwan Rhinos, Kathmandu Gorkhas player Rashid Khan delivered another standout performance by scoring his second half-century of the ongoing league. Khan reached his fifty in 28 balls, hitting two boundaries and four sixes before eventually being dismissed after scoring 52 runs off 30 balls. His previous half-century in the tournament also came against the Karnali Yaks.

With the league stage progressing, teams continue to battle for crucial points to secure playoff positions. While Pokhara successfully kept their faint postseason aspirations alive with their recent breakthrough performance, other franchises like Chitwan and Kathmandu continue to vie for top positioning as the competition advances toward its late-November conclusion.