Region No 3 Kathmandu, riding on the all round performance of skipper Paras Khadka, won the title of Pepsi One Day National Cricket Tournament. The victory completed a hat-trick of Kathmandu on winning the title of the national tournament.
Kathmandu team after victory. Photo: Republica
Defending champions Kathmandu defeated Region No 1 Biratnagar by six wickets in the final match played at the TU Cricket Ground.
Batting first in the rain-affected 40-over match, Biratnagar were all out for 148 runs in 39 overs as Khadka claimed four wickets. Meanwhile, with Khadka scoring unbeaten 67, Kathmandu completed the victory in 36.5 overs.
Paresh Lohani scored 36 runs while Dipendra Chaudhary remained unbeaten on 15 runs. Biratnagar skipper Pushpa Thapa and Ajay Rajbanshi took a wicket each but Biratnagar could not bother Kathmandu as Khadka played a captain´s innings.
Earlier, Manjeet Shrestha´s 36 runs and Manoj Mandal´s 32 runs lifted Biratnagar to a total of 148. Rupesh Shrivastav and Sharad Vesawkar took two wickets each to limit Biratnagar.
Winners Kathmandu received Rs 75,000 along with the trophy while runners-up Biratnagar bagged Rs 40,000.
Khadka was named man-of-the-final and man-of-the-series. Khadka has taken 12 wickets in four matches with an economy of 3.67 and scored 130 runs at an average of 43.33. Khadka got Rs 15,000 for the award.
Pacer and former captain of national side Binod Das was awarded with the best batsman prize. The fast bowler of Region No 2 Birgunj has surprisingly scored 124 runs in two group stage matches at an average of 124. Das won Rs 10,000.
Likewise, Region No 6 spinner Bhuwan Karki was adjudged the best bowler of the tournament as he claimed eight wickets from two group stage matches. Karki also received Rs 10,000.
Special cash prizes of Rs 150,000 each were given by Pepsi and Standard Chartered Bank to the national side for winning the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 5 held in Kathmandu this February.
Minister for Youth and Sports Ganesh Tiwari Nepali, Sushil Jung Rana (Secretary of the Ministry), Binaya Raj Pandey (President of Cricket Association of Nepal), Sushil Tuladhar (Marketing Manager of Pepsi), Bikram Thapa (Representative from Pepsi), Diwakar Poudel (Head, Corporate Affairs of Standard Chartered Bank), Sujit Mundul (CEO of Standard Chartered Bank) gave away the prizes and awards.