Janakpur Bolts Secure Second Consecutive Win in NPL

With a half-century from opener and captain Anil Shah, the Janakpur Bolts claimed their second straight win in the Siddharth Bank Nepal Premier League (NPL). On Monday, Janakpur defeated Karnali Yaks by eight wickets in their second match.

Chasing a target of 142 runs, Janakpur comfortably reached 143/2 in just 15.1 overs. Captain Anil Shah led the charge with an impressive 62 off 42 balls, including six fours and three sixes. Shah’s innings featured the first half-century scored by a Nepali batter in the tournament. He was well-supported by opener Asif Sheikh, who scored 36 runs off 29 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes. The pair added 84 runs for the first wicket.

Karnali Yaks, batting first, managed to score 141/7 in 20 overs. Gulshan Jha was their top scorer with 36 runs off 27 balls, while Arjun Gharti contributed 33 runs. A late cameo by Sompal Kami, who scored an unbeaten 29 off 13 balls, provided some much-needed acceleration.

For Janakpur, Mohammad Mohsin claimed two wickets, while Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, Harsh Thaker, and Jimmy Neesham took one wicket each.

With two wins in as many games, Janakpur Bolts now lead the standings with four points. They had earlier secured an eight-wicket win over Biratnagar Kings in their opening match.

In the day’s other game, Chitwan Rhinos defeated Kathmandu Gurkhas by five wickets.

The NPL, featuring eight teams, continues until January 6. The top four teams from the round-robin stage will progress to the playoffs. Tuesday’s matches will see Sudurpaschim Royals face Biratnagar Kings, followed by Pokhara Avengers taking on Chitwan Rhinos.