Kathmandu: Sudurpaschim Royals made a strong and exciting start to their Nepal Premier League (NPL) season, defeating Kathmandu Gorkhas by 29 runs in the fourth match of the tournament.

Chasing a target of 148 runs, Kathmandu were restricted to just 118 runs in 18.5 overs at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground. Sudurpaschim’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance, with Scott Kuggeleijn, Hemant Dhami, and Harmit Singh each taking two wickets. Kathmandu opener Akash Tripathi top-scored with 24 runs but lacked support from the rest of the batting lineup.

Earlier, opting to bat first after losing the toss, Sudurpaschim posted 147 runs in their allotted 20 overs. Harmit Singh was the standout performer, blasting 53 runs off just 20 balls, while skipper Dipendra Singh Airee contributed a steady 39 off 30 deliveries.

Kathmandu captain Karan KC impressed with the ball, claiming four wickets. Milind Kumar, Sunny Patel, and Rashid Khan picked up two wickets each.

This was Kathmandu’s second match of the league—they had won their opening game against defending champions Janakpur Bolts by five wickets. For Sudurpaschim, this victory marked a strong beginning to their campaign. Sudurpaschim are the defending runners-up, led this season by Dipendra Singh Airee, while Kathmandu are captained by Karan KC.

Points Table Update
In the eight-team NPL, Sudurpaschim, Chitwan, and Biratnagar currently occupy the top three positions with 100% winning records. Kathmandu, with one win and one loss, sit in fourth place.

Janakpur, Pokhara, and Karnali have yet to open their accounts, while Lumbini Lions are the only team yet to play a match.