Bold statement: Pokhara’s late surge keeps their playoff dream alive, but the path remains packed with controversy and plenty of opinions to spark debate. Here's a complete rewrite of the original report, preserving all key details while presenting them in fresh language, with added context to help newcomers understand the nuances.
Adam Rossington’s heroic innings keeps Pokhara Avengers in the hunt. He taps the bat on the turf as the bowler approaches, then lifts the bat in a fluid arc, the handle angled upward. When the ball is released, he uncorks a fierce swing—an approach he’s well known for. Yet on Tuesday at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Rossington found his tempo only after some initial caution. He survived two dot balls, then took a single off the third ball he faced. The fourth ball went unpunished, but the fifth ball met a roar as he launched it for six, followed by two more boundaries. By the close of the first innings, Rossington had hammered 11 fours and 7 sixes, finishing unbeaten on 108 off 58 deliveries and steering Pokhara to 201/2 in 20 overs.
That innings marked the NPL’s third century overall, the second of this season, the league’s second-highest individual score, and the rare milestone of a team breaking the 200-run barrier. Pokhara opted to bat first after losing the toss. Rossington opened with Kushal Bhurtel, Nepal’s regular opener, who was taking the crease for Pokhara for the first time in five matches. Bhurtel showed promise with a early flurry of boundaries but fell for 18 off 17, having struck three fours and a six. After 4.5 overs, Pokhara were 34/1, and by the end of the powerplay the score stood at 44/1. The signs of a storm, in other words, hadn’t appeared yet.
Rossington, a 32-year-old veteran from England’s domestic circuit, put on a 127-run partnership for the second wicket with his English teammate Jason Roy, who has represented England in 116 ODIs, 64 T20Is, and five Tests. Roy fell just short of a fifty, dismissed for 46 off 34, as Pokhara reached 161/2 in 16.5 overs.
Rossington remained at the crease through the end of the innings, partnering with Dhananjaya Lakshan (23 off 11). Lakshan, a Sri Lankan all-rounder making his NPL debut on Tuesday, joined Rossington as the century-maker—Rossington’s maiden NPL hundred came off 55 balls, a landmark that cements him as only the third player to reach a ton in the NPL and the second this season.
Post-match, Rossington said the moment was special: “It felt good to contribute, and the partnership with Roy helped relieve the pressure on me.”
Defending 200+ in a batter-friendly pitch proved challenging for the Avengers in the second innings. The Yaks started their chase with a single wide in the first ball, and Mark Watt—the season’s first centurion—launched Bipin Khatri for a maximum, followed by another six and a quick strike rotation with Priyank Panchal as Karnali began with 17 runs off the first over.
Panchal then steamed into overdrive, clubbing two consecutive sixes off Rishi Dhawan in the third over to set up a growing partnership with Watt. But Panchal fell in the next over for 16 off 11, leaving Karnali at 34. Watt continued to carry the charge, yet his fruitful innings ended when he was dismissed at depth in the deep after his sixth six attempt. As Rossington explained later, Watt’s wicket was pivotal because he was batting so well on a pitch that favored batsmen, making the task of defending 200-plus all the more difficult.
Rossington’s verdict on the situation: Watt’s dismissal was the turning point that eased the pressure on Pokhara, even though the pitch remained batsman-friendly.
Rossington now stands as the NPL Season 2 leading run-scorer with 253 runs in five innings, ahead of Watt (242 in six) and Ravi Bopara (207 in five). Karnali’s captain Sompal Kami, a seasoned Nepali international, was the most expensive bowler for the Yaks, conceding 50 runs in four overs without a wicket. Nandan Yadav and Watt claimed single wickets each.
Raju Basnyat, coach of the Yaks, reflected that a lack of productive partnerships and momentum with the bat undermined the chase. “Set batsmen kept returning to the pavilion on a good batting pitch,” he noted, adding that fielding missteps didn’t help either and that domestic players failed to perform up to expectations.
Most of the Nepali players failed to reach double figures, and the Yaks were bowled out for 167 in 19 overs. Lakshan and Dhawan took three wickets apiece, while Kushal Bhurtel, Kiran Thagunna, and Sandeep Chhetri each claimed a wicket for Pokhara. The Avengers completed a 34-run victory.
With this win, Pokhara rose to fourth in the standings, accumulating four points from two wins in five matches. The Yaks, by contrast, slipped to fifth losses in six, effectively ending their playoff chances.
Basnyat remained hopeful: “We’ll still play our final match with the aim of winning. CAN has been organizing tournaments regularly, but more competitions at provincial, district, and club levels would help domestic players stay in form for the NPL, where they can test themselves against experienced players from around the world.”
First win for defending champions
Janakpur Bolts began their title defense with a loss to Kathmandu Gorkhas in the season’s opener, and momentum remained elusive despite the presence of former West Indies star Shivnarine Chanderpaul as head coach. The Bolts later fell to Biratnagar Kings, Pokhara, and Sudurpaschim Royals before facing the Chitwan Rhinos. The Bolts Army showed up in strong numbers at the TU International Cricket Stadium, but their banner wasn’t visible in the stands on Tuesday.
Anil Kumar Sah, the Bolts captain for Tuesday and stepping in without the captain’s armband for the first time in the NPL, found a bright moment in this match. Led by Wayne Parnell, Sah hit 61 off 36 to guide Janakpur to a six-wicket win chasing 177. The Rhinos’ 177 came on the back of a 112-run opening stand between Dawid Malan and Arjun Saud, but the Bolts chased it down with 15 balls to spare.
Malan offered a commanding 80 off 54, but fell at a crucial moment, leaving Saud at 52 off 39. Saif Zaib, Ravi Bopara, and Routela contributed modestly with the bat for the Rhinos.
For Janakpur, two players hit half-centuries: Maaz Sadaqat’s 63 off 30 and Sah’s 61 off 36. Aasif Sheikh, Aditya Mahata, and others contributed in support as the Bolts finally got their first win of the season. Both the Bolts and Rhinos still possess playoff hopes, along with Pokhara and Lumbini.
Upcoming matches and playoff implications remain pivotal. Biratnagar Kings and Lumbini Lions face off in a critical Wednesday fixture: a Kings win would secure their playoff berth, intensifying competition as the season advances.
