Chitwan Rhinos advance towards Ppayoffs, eliminate Janakpur Bolts with 4-Wicket win

KIRTIPUR, KATHMANDU — The Chitwan Rhinos moved one step closer to securing a playoff berth in the Nepal Premier League (NPL) Season 3, defeating the Janakpur Bolts by four wickets in a crucial low-scoring encounter at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground on Friday.

The defeat officially eliminates the Janakpur Bolts from the tournament, as they conclude their league stage campaign with only four points from seven matches.

Rhinos’ Bowlers Throttle Janakpur

Janakpur Bolts’ captain Harmeet Singh won the toss and elected to bat first in this must-win fixture. However, the decision backfired as the Chitwan Rhinos’ bowling attack put on a suffocating display, restricting the Bolts to a mere 88/9 in their allotted 20 overs.

The Bolts’ batters struggled to build any significant partnerships or find boundaries on a challenging Kirtipur surface. Captain Harmeet Singh top-scored with a grinding 25 off 25 balls, hitting one six and two boundaries. Bishal Sushling chipped in with 15 off 13, and Santosh Karki added 10, but the rest of the lineup completely failed to fire against Chitwan’s disciplined bowling.

Ranjit Kumar was the standout performer with the ball for the Rhinos, delivering a brilliant, economical spell. He claimed three crucial wickets while conceding just 2 runs in his 3 overs, which included a maiden. Captain Sikandar Raza, Kamal Singh Airee, and Kamil Mishra provided excellent support, taking two wickets each to ensure the Bolts never built momentum.

Chitwan Grinds Out the Chase

Chasing a modest target of 89, the Chitwan Rhinos also found batting difficult, losing wickets at regular intervals.

However, English veteran Dawid Malan anchored the chase perfectly. Using his immense experience, Malan played a composed, unbeaten innings of 35 off 39 deliveries, ensuring one end remained secure while wickets tumbled at the other. Kushal Malla contributed a valuable 15 off 25 balls, and Ravi Bopara hit a quick 13 off 16 deliveries (including three boundaries) to keep the required run rate well within reach.

Despite a valiant bowling effort from Janakpur’s Rahul Yadav, who took three wickets, and captain Harmeet Singh, who claimed two, the target was simply too small to defend. The Rhinos comfortably crossed the finish line in 17 overs, reaching 92/6 to secure the victory.

With this crucial win, the Chitwan Rhinos jump to fourth place in the standings with 7 points from six matches, keeping their playoff dreams very much alive.