EPL cricket championship: Chitwan hits first win

Kathmandu– Chitwan Tigers has registered its first win in the ongoing Everest Premier League (EPL) T-20 Cricket Championship by defeating Biratnagar Warriors, the defending champions, today. 

Chitwan, under the captaincy of Prithu Banskota, beat Biratnagar under the captaincy of Paras Khadka by five runs in the match held at the Tribhuvan University (TU) cricket ground today. 

Chitwan, which won the toss and elected to bat first, gave a 197-run target before Biratnagar. In reply, Biratnagar managed to hit 191 runs in 20 overs losing all its wickets. 

Hong Kong batsman Babar Hayat made the maximum 90 runs for Biratnagar but that was not enough for a win. Hayat hit eight sixes and five fours from 42 balls. Similarly, Karan KC was not out in 24 runs while Asif Shekh made 30 runs, captain Khadka hit 19 runs and Anil Kumar Saha 12 runs. 

Towards bowling, Chitwan’s Lalit Singh Bhandari alone claimed four wickets while Sagar took three wickets. Chitwan which was batting before this made 196 runs in the stipulated 20 overs losing four wickets. 

John Simpson made the highest number of runs for Chitwan He made 78 runs while Deependra Singh Airee made 32 runs, Sandip Sunar 30 runs, George Scott 24 runs and Paul Sterling 15 runs. 

Basanta Regmi, Paras Khadka, Karan KC and Van Mikaran took one wicket each for Biratnagar. 
With this win, Chitwan still has the probability of reaching the play-off stage. It has two points from four games. 
Biratnagar’s chances of reaching the play-off stage are still alive. It has four points from four games. Biratnagar stands in the third position and Chitwan in the fourth place in the points table. 
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