KATHMANDU, May 1: Kushal Malla registered a four-wicket-haul as departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club entered the semifinals of the ongoing Karnali Premier League defeating Mid-Western Cricket Club by 107 runs in the last group match played at Kalinchowk Cricket Ground in Surkhet on Tuesday.

Chasing the target of 179 runs, Mid-Western was folded out for 71 runs in 16.4 overs as left-arm spin duo of Susan Bhari and Shahab Alam shared two wickets each. Likewise, pace bowler Jeetendra Mukhiya picked up a wicket and Rajesh Pulami Magar ran Pranit Thapa Magar out to help Army complete a dominating win. 

Thapa top-scored with 19 runs opening the batting for Mid-Western. He shared a partnership of 29 runs with Manoj Sunar to start the chase. Mukhiya dismissed Sunar for 10 runs to open the flood-gates as the losing team lost last 10 wickets for 42 runs. Malla conceded 14 runs from his four overs on his route to take four wickets.

Earlier, Army won the toss and elected to bat first in the last Group A encounter. Player of the match Pulami and Hari Bahadur Chauhan registered half-centuries as Army posted a total of 179 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Pulami scored 57 runs from 35 deliveries which included five fours and three sixes whereas Chauhan contributed 53 runs from 37 deliveries which included seven boundaries and a six. 

Skipper Binod Bhandari added 22 runs from 20 deliveries supported by Rohit Kumar Paudel’s 19 runs from 15 deliveries. Amit Tamang and Ajay Sahani shared two wickets each in a forgettable day for Mid-Western.

In the Group B match of the day, Nischal Chaudhary smashed four sixes and three boundaries during his unbeaten half-century for New Horizon Butwal to chase the paltry target of 93 runs in 14 overs by five wickets against Himalayan Cricket Academy during a match played at the same venue. 

Chasing the target, New Horizon Butwal was struggling at 32 runs from the loss of five wickets at the end of six overs. Player of the match Chaudhary shared a partnership of unbeaten 66 runs with veteran Shakti Gauchan for the sixth wicket to provide New Horizon the win. Gauchan stayed unbeaten on 10 runs. Himalayan’s Pawan Karki and Hemanta Dhami shared 3 and 2 wickets respectively, defending the total before Chaudhary played the match winning innings.

Earlier, Himalayan won the toss and elected to bat first. The losing team failed to give any momentum with the batting as the team from Kathmandu was bundled out for 92 runs in 18.2 overs. Arjun Rayamanjhi led the bowling attack picking up three wickets including the key wicket of Dipendra Singh Airee for 25 runs. Airee faced 24 deliveries and smashed three boundaries. Similarly, Gauchan and Govind Khatri shared two wickets each supported by Bikash Shrestha and Bipin Khatri’s a wicket each.
 

 
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