Janakpur Bolts beat Pokhara Avengers by 9 runs in the ninth match of the Nepal Premier League 2026 at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Sunday, 1 November. Defending a modest total, the Bolts kept control of a low-scoring chase and collected their second win of the tournament.
Match summary
- Janakpur Bolts: 147/7 in 20 overs
- Pokhara Avengers: 138/9 in 20 overs
- Result: Janakpur Bolts won by 9 runs
- Toss: Pokhara Avengers won the toss and chose to field
- Venue: Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur
Trit Raj Das anchors the Bolts
Janakpur began steadily with 45 without loss in the powerplay, but wickets fell regularly afterwards and the innings leaned on Trit Raj Das, who top-scored with 61 off 55 balls. He reached his half-century off 49 balls and kept the scoreboard moving while wickets fell around him. Moeen Ali added a quick 21, Abhishek Tiwari finished unbeaten on 24 and Jimmy Neesham made 11, helping the Bolts reach 147 for 7.
For Pokhara, Shakib Al Hasan was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets. Chamika Karunaratne took two, while Mehidy Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin took one each. Mehidy Hasan was especially tight early on, bowling a maiden in a miserly opening spell.
Pokhara’s chase falls short
Pokhara started well, reaching 50 in just 5.4 overs, and captain Kushal Bhurtel top-scored with 35 off 24 balls. But the Avengers kept losing wickets and slipped to 87 for 7 after 13.2 overs, needing 61 more runs. Moeen Ali’s spell of three wickets for 13 runs was a key reason for the collapse. Bipin Khatri made 17 off 14 balls late on and the Avengers made a late push, but they finished on 138 for 9, nine runs short.
Key performers
- Trit Raj Das (Janakpur): 61 off 55 balls, the highest score of the match.
- Moeen Ali (Janakpur): 21 with the bat and 3 wickets for 13 runs with the ball.
- Shakib Al Hasan (Pokhara): three wickets with the ball.
- Kushal Bhurtel (Pokhara): a fast 35 off 24 balls at the top of the order.
What the result means
It was Janakpur’s third match of the tournament. They lost their opener to Karnali Yaks by 19 runs, then bounced back with an eight-wicket win over Kathmandu Gorkhas before this victory. The Bolts, who won the title in the inaugural 2024 season, now have two wins from three games. Pokhara were playing their second match and will need to improve their middle-order batting to climb the table.
Match details are based on published scorecards and match reports. Figures may be updated by the official scorers.
