Lamichhane Takes Six Wickets as Biratnagar Beat Pokhara and End Their Playoff Hopes

Three balls transform the match in Kirtipur

Sandeep Lamichhane took six wickets, including three in consecutive deliveries, as Biratnagar Kings defeated Pokhara Avengers by four wickets at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Thursday, November 12. The result lifted Biratnagar to fourth place with six points from six matches and ended Pokhara's chances of reaching the Nepal Premier League playoffs.

Lamichhane's decisive burst came on the third, fourth and fifth balls of the 15th over. He removed Yuvraj Samra for 84, then dismissed Pokhara captain Chamika Karunaratne and Kiran Thagunna without scoring. Pokhara, who had reached 122 for five, were eventually bowled out for 132 in 17.5 overs.

Biratnagar still needed a late rescue to complete the chase. They slipped to 105 for six before Isuru Udana and Shehan Jayasuriya added an unbeaten 31 for the seventh wicket. Udana struck the winning boundary after 19 overs and two balls, leaving four deliveries unused.

The completed scorecard confirms Biratnagar finished on 136 for six in 19.2 overs, not 133 for six. The seventh wicket partnership from 105 for six and the boundary that finished the match carried them beyond the target of 133, securing victory by four wickets.

Pokhara were left with two points after losing five of their six matches. Even victory in their remaining league fixture would leave them outside the top four. Biratnagar, with three wins from six games, strengthened their position without securing qualification.

Samra supplies almost two thirds of Pokhara's runs

Pokhara chose to bat after winning the toss, but their innings quickly became a recovery effort. Arjun Kumal fell for one at the end of the first over, and Kushal Bhurtel was dismissed without scoring at the end of the second. At 11 for two, Pokhara needed someone to hold the innings together.

Samra did that while continuing to attack. He scored 84 from 47 balls, striking seven fours and five sixes. His strike rate of 178.72 means he scored at a pace equivalent to almost 179 runs for every 100 balls faced.

His contribution accounted for about 64 percent of Pokhara's total of 132. The rest of the team, including extras, supplied just 48 runs. His boundaries alone produced 58 runs, more than all the runs scored without him.

Arjun Gharti helped Samra add 35 for the third wicket before departing for five. Sunny BK contributed 12 during a partnership of 30 for the fourth wicket. Ramesh Mendis then fell without scoring, leaving Pokhara at 76 for five.

Samra found his most productive partner in Dhananjaya Lakshan. Their stand of 46 for the sixth wicket carried Pokhara to 122 and gave them a chance to build a stronger total in the closing overs. Lakshan eventually made 22 from 15 balls, with one four and one six. He and Sunny were the only batters besides Samra to reach double figures.

Lamichhane answers a six and a four with a hat trick

Samra began Lamichhane's 15th over by hitting a six and a four. The next three deliveries changed the direction of the innings. Samra fell on the third ball, Karunaratne was dismissed leg before wicket on the fourth, and Thagunna suffered the same fate on the fifth.

A hat trick means taking a wicket with each of three consecutive deliveries. Here, it removed both Pokhara's main scorer and two incoming batters before either could settle. The score stayed at 122 throughout the three dismissals.

Lamichhane later removed Lakshan and Bipin Khatri, who scored five. From 122 for five to 132 all out, Pokhara lost their final five wickets for only 10 runs. They also left 13 balls of their allotted 20 overs unused, losing valuable opportunities to add runs.

The main sequence of the match was:

• After two overs: Pokhara were 11 for two following the early losses of Kumal and Bhurtel.
• Before the decisive burst: Samra and Lakshan took Pokhara from 76 for five to 122.
• In the 15th over: Lamichhane dismissed Samra, Karunaratne and Thagunna on consecutive balls.
• After 17 overs and five balls: Pokhara were all out for 132.
• After 16 overs and five balls of the chase: Biratnagar were 105 for six, needing 28 from 19 deliveries.
• After 19 overs and two balls: Udana's boundary completed Biratnagar's victory.

A career best spell after five quiet matches

Lamichhane's return was especially striking because he had taken only one wicket across his previous five matches. He took six in his sixth appearance, becoming the first bowler this season to claim six wickets in an innings.

The completed scorecard confirms Lamichhane's figures were six for 27 from four overs, with no maidens, not six for 23 from three overs. The six for 27 return was recorded as the best performance of his T20 career, ahead of his previous best of five for nine. Bowling records rank the number of wickets first, then runs conceded when the wicket totals are equal.

On that basis, six for 27 places him second in NPL history. Shahab Alam leads with six for 25 for Kathmandu Gorkhas against Pokhara in 2025. William Bosisto took six for 28 for Karnali Yaks against the same opponents in 2024.

Lamichhane therefore joined Alam and Bosisto as the third bowler to take six wickets in an NPL innings. All three of those performances came against Pokhara, a striking recurrence across the league's leading bowling returns.

The burst was the first hat trick of the current season. Historical tallies placed Lamichhane third after Alam and Rohit Paudel, or fourth when Pratish GC was included. The exact historical count remains unresolved in the published records.

Biratnagar's chase nearly comes apart

Biratnagar faced a target of 133, but Pokhara's bowlers kept the contest alive through regular wickets. Imran Sheikh scored 10 and Charith Asalanka was dismissed without scoring as the chasing side fell to 19 for two.

Lokesh Bam gave the innings momentum with 33 from 27 balls. Basir Ahmed supplied 37 from 39, the highest score of the chase. Their contributions prevented the early setbacks from becoming an immediate collapse, although neither was still there at the finish.

Angelo Mathews made eight, while Pratish GC was dismissed without scoring. Biratnagar were 78 for five, leaving their remaining batters with little room for error. A sixth wicket would bring Pokhara closer to the lower order, while dot balls would increase the pressure to score quickly.

Biratnagar needed 49 runs from the final five overs, almost 10 runs an over. When Basir fell at 105 for six after 16 overs and five balls, the requirement was 28 from 19 deliveries.

Udana and Jayasuriya finish the job

Udana supplied the acceleration Biratnagar needed. He finished unbeaten on 25 from 12 balls, hitting four fours and a six. Those five boundary shots produced 22 of his 25 runs, allowing Biratnagar to reduce the target rapidly without relying on a long sequence of singles.

Jayasuriya remained unbeaten on 17 from 14 balls. Their partnership of 31 took Biratnagar from 105 for six to the winning total, with Udana's final boundary carrying the score beyond the target.

Pokhara's bowling figures show how close they came to defending 132. Bhurtel and Mendis took two wickets each, while Khatri and Lakshan claimed one apiece. They removed six batters but could not separate the final partnership.

Lamichhane later praised Basir, Jayasuriya and Udana for managing the difficult chase. He singled out Udana, who had joined the side in place of Andre Russell, for adapting to the match situation and pressure.

Two points matter more than a faster finish

Lamichhane said the team victory mattered more to him than his personal bowling record. He explained that he would be equally happy taking one wicket or five if Biratnagar won, and credited contributions from both the batting and bowling groups.

His assessment matched the shape of the match. Six wickets reduced Pokhara to a reachable total, but Biratnagar still needed Basir's resistance, Bam's scoring and the unbeaten closing partnership to turn that advantage into points.

Biratnagar's captain also said the priority had been securing two points rather than improving net run rate. Net run rate compares how quickly a team scores with how quickly its opponents score and can help separate teams level on points.

At 105 for six, preserving the remaining wickets while finding 28 runs was the immediate task. Udana and Jayasuriya achieved that balance, keeping Biratnagar in a stronger position for the final round of league matches.

Pokhara have one match left, but no route to the playoffs

Pokhara's fifth defeat in six matches confirmed their elimination before their final fixture, listed against Kathmandu Gorkhas. Their two points would become four with another victory, still insufficient to reach the top four.

Samra's innings gave Pokhara a chance in Kirtipur, and their bowlers created another by taking six wickets in the chase. The decisive damage came between those two efforts: five wickets lost for 10 runs prevented them from setting a more demanding target.

Biratnagar moved to six points with one league match remaining. The opponent for that fixture was identified as Lumbini Lions in the closing match details, while the account of Lamichhane's comments named Colombo Lions. No date for the remaining fixture was given.

For Biratnagar, the immediate achievement was concrete: a place in the top four and two more points. For Pokhara, the remaining match offers a chance to finish with a second win, but their playoff campaign is over.

Key Points

• Biratnagar Kings beat Pokhara Avengers by four wickets in Kirtipur, finishing on 136 for six in 19.2 overs with four balls remaining.
• Sandeep Lamichhane took six for 27 from four overs, with no maidens.
• His hat trick removed Yuvraj Samra, Chamika Karunaratne and Kiran Thagunna in the 15th over.
• Samra scored 84 from 47 balls, but Pokhara lost their final five wickets for 10 runs and were dismissed for 132.
• Isuru Udana made an unbeaten 25 and Shehan Jayasuriya an unbeaten 17 to complete the chase.
• Biratnagar rose to fourth with six points from six matches. Pokhara were eliminated with two points and one match remaining.