Chitwan beat Janakpur to strengthen playoff hopes

Chitwan Rhinos beat Janakpur Bolts by four wickets in the Nepal Premier League on Friday, chasing down a target of 89 in 17.2 overs. Despite struggling with the bat during the powerplay, Chitwan steadied their innings to secure the win and strengthen their bid for a place in the playoffs. Janakpur, the champions of the inaugural edition, had a poor outing with the bat in the second match of the day.

After winning the toss and opting to bat, they managed only 88 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their 20 overs. Chitwan’s bowlers put Janakpur under pressure from the outset, triggering a steady fall of wickets. Opener Trit Raj Das was dismissed for five, while Ryan Burl managed six before being bowled by Chitwan captain Sikandar Raza.

Spinner Ranjeet Kumar sent both Janakpur openers Santosh Karki and Harry Tector back to the pavilion. Karki, playing his first match, scored 10, while Tector was dismissed without scoring. Bishal Susling made 15, but none of the other batters managed to reach double figures.