KATHMANDU, Dec 18: Lalitpur Patriots produced a bowling exhibition led by Indian pace bowler Sudesh Bhati as Kathmandu Kings XI (KKXI) was bundled out for 89 runs in the 19th over. The team won by seven wickets. Jaykishan Kolsawala scored 42 runs to guide the team for victory in 16.4 overs.
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Earlier, Lalitpur Patriots’ foreign recruit Sudhesh Bhati picked up four wickets conceding only 15 runs from 3.3 overs. He was supported by Mehboob Alam’s early breakthroughs dismissing Naresh Budhayer and Farveez Maharoof, the Sri Lankan player and KKXI captain. Bhati combined with veteran Alam displayed hostile bowling spell mixing good bouncers with pitched up deliveries keeping the batsmen guessing throughout their respective overs. Bhati picked up the all-important wickets of Nepal national team opener Sagar Pun, Kings XI’s marquee player Sompal Kami and Sri Lankan recruit Akshu Fernandez.
KKXI batting never recovered from the early blows as left-arm spinner Lalit Rajbanshi chipped in with three wickets to limit the scoring in middle overs.
KKXI opener Amit Shrestha tried to hold the innings together scoring under run a ball 27 on top of the order. He scored four boundaries but it was too little to calm the jitters as Kathmandu batsmen kept getting out for mistimed shots. Kathmandu captain and Sri Lankan player Farveez Maharoof could only muster seven runs from nine deliveries including a six.
Earlier, Lalitpur Patriots captain Gyanendra Malla won the toss and elected to bowl in the first match of the Everest Premier League 2017.
