Anil Mandal scored unbeaten 88 as Region No 2 Birgunj registered a 6-wicket win over Region No 1 Biratnagar in the Pepsi Men’s Twenty20 National League Cricket Tournament at the IOE Ground.
Also victorious on the day was Region No 4 Bhairahawa which defeated Region No 6 Baitadi by 4 wickets.
Anil’s 59-ball knock with 8 fours and two sixes produced the highest individual score of domestic Twenty20 and second win for Birgunj to go second in the league table.
Anil single-handedly took his team to 119/4 in 17.4 overs for the victory after Biratnagar was restricted to 116/7 in 20 overs. Sanjam Regmi scored unbeaten 11 off 10 – the second highest of Birgunj’s innings.
Sanjam was the pick of the Birgunj’s bowlers taking 3/26 in Biratnagar innings that was also dominated by a batsman – Sunny Pun who scored 48 off 43 balls with five fours and two sixes. Santosh Baral remained not out in his brisk 23 off 13 balls while only other batsman to reach double figure was Kushal Tuladhar (14 off 10).
Birgunj’s captain Binod Das was hit for 41 runs in four overs – the worst bowling figure of the national league.
For Bhairahawa, Rahul BK displayed a brilliant bowling spell taking 3/6 in his four overs as Baitadi scored below par 78/7 in 20 overs. Binod Chhetri (16 not out off 12, 3×4), Shakti Bhandari (14 off 16), Binod Bhandari (12 off 19) and Naresh Budayar (10 off18) contributed to Baitadi’s score.
Bhairahawa chased the score in 16.3 overs with Antim Thapa (20 off 29), Dipen Lamgade (18 off 28) and Durgesh Rajali (16 off 13) contributing. Binod Chhetri completed a good all-round performance with 3/9.