Final Bound - Sudurpaschim Royals Dominate Kings in Qualifier 1, A Revenge Thriller

Published · By Kushma Thapa

The Sudurpaschim Royals delivered a statement performance in the NPL 2025 playoffs, thrashing the Biratnagar Kings by a resounding 77 runs in Qualifier 1 at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground. This dominant victory not only avenged their crushing defeat to the Kings just three days prior but also secured the Royals a place in the Grand Finale for the second consecutive season.

🏏 Match Summary

Winning the toss and being sent in to bat, the Royals posted a challenging target of 156 runs (finishing at 155/7). This total was built on the back of an assured half-century from opener and Player of the Match, Binod Bhandari, who anchored the innings with a gritty 63 off 52 balls. Contributions from Sheldon Jackson (20 off 11) and Aarif Sheikh (20 not out) ensured the Royals set a defendable total.

The Kings' chase was disastrous from the start. Chasing a target of 156 runs, the Kings' top order crumbled under the relentless pressure of the Royals' bowling attack. Opener Sam Heazlett fell for a golden duck on the very first ball, and the Kings were quickly reeling at 3 wickets down for just 7 runs.

Despite a valiant effort from captain Faf du Plessis, who managed a top-score of 36 off 29 balls, the Kings failed to recover. They were eventually bowled out for a mere 78 runs in 14.1 overs, highlighting the immense gulf in class shown by the Royals' relenting bowlers. Scott Kuggeleijn, Harmeet Singh, and Abinash Bohara all excelled, taking two wickets each.

🏆 Playoff Picture Confirmed

With this victory, the playoff structure is now clear:

  1. Sudurpaschim Royals advance directly to the NPL 2025 Grand Finale on Saturday, December 13, 2025.

  2. Biratnagar Kings do not get eliminated yet, but will now play in Qualifier 2 on Thursday, December 11, 2025.

The Kings will face the winner of tomorrow's Eliminator match in a high-stakes, win-or-go-home contest.