Elimination Roar! Lumbini Lions Clinch Thrilling Victory, Knock Out Kathmandu Gorkhas

Published · By Kushma Thapa

The Lumbini Lions produced a commanding performance in the NPL 2025 Eliminator, defeating the Kathmandu Gorkhas by four wickets with 14 balls to spare. The Gorkhas are now officially eliminated from the tournament, while the Lions march on to Qualifier 2 for a shot at the Grand Finale.

Gorkhas Collapse Under Pressure

Winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Kathmandu Gorkhas endured a calamitous innings. They were bowled out for a meager 111 runs in 19.1 overs, completely failing to set a competitive total in the knockout match.

The Gorkhas' batting order collapsed early, reeling at 14/4 in the fourth over. While John Simpson (18) and Santosh Yadav (23) provided late resilience, their efforts were nullified by a brilliant bowling display from the Lions. Skipper Rohit Paudel (3/25) and Sher Malla (3/22) were the star performers, taking three wickets each to break the back of the Gorkhas' innings.

Lions Cruise Despite Wobbly Start

Chasing the small target of 112, the Lions showed intent, but also faced resistance from the Gorkhas' bowlers. The chase featured two critical innings:

  • D'Arcy Short (33 off 34): The former Australian opener anchored the innings, ensuring the scoreboard kept ticking despite the early loss of Dinesh Adhikari.

  • Sundeep Jora (23 off 23): Jora played a perfect middle-order foil, stabilizing the chase after the loss of skipper Paudel, and guiding the team into a dominant position.

The Lions reached 112/6 in 17.4 overs, sealing the four-wicket victory. The Gorkhas' bowlers, particularly Sunny Patel (1/14 in 4 overs), fought hard, but the modest target proved too little to defend in a pressure situation.

Elimination: With this defeat, the Kathmandu Gorkhas finish their NPL 2025 campaign in 3rd place and are officially knocked out.

Playoff Focus Shifts to Qualifier 2

The Lumbini Lions have earned the right to face the Biratnagar Kings in the do-or-die Qualifier 2 match tomorrow. The winner will advance to the final showdown against the Sudurpaschim Royals.

Qualifier 2:
Thursday, Dec 11 Biratnagar Kings (Loser of Q1) vs. Lumbini Lions (Winner of Eliminator 1)
Winner advances to the Grand Finale. Loser is Eliminated.

GRAND FINALE (NPL 2025 Championship Match)
Saturday, Dec 13 Sudurpaschim Royals vs. Winner of Qualifier 2