Nilkantha Municipality has clinched the Dhading U-19 T20 Cricket Final, defeating Benighat Rorang by 54 runs in a thrilling match. The tournament was organized by the Dhading District Cricket Association from Jestha 15.
Benighat collapses chasing 152
Chasing a target of 152, Benighat Rorang was all out for just 97 runs. Their top order failed to perform under pressure, losing early wickets. However, middle-order batter Ishak Miya showed resilience, scoring an unbeaten 56 off 35 balls. William Shrestha added 19 runs from 16 balls.
Nilkantha’s Kirtan Gurung starred with the ball, taking 3 wickets for just 12 runs in 3 overs. Rahul Rokka also impressed, grabbing 2 wickets while conceding 19 runs in his 3-over spell.
Nilkantha Municipality sets solid target
Earlier, Nilkantha lost the toss and batted first, putting up a strong total of 151 runs for 7 wickets. Sandeep Shrestha was the top scorer, smashing 61 runs from 31 balls. His opening partner Sushan Regmi contributed 45 runs off 35 balls.
Benighat’s bowler Anmol Pandey was the pick of the bowlers, taking 4 wickets for just 17 runs in 2 overs. Srijan Pandey supported with 2 wickets in 3 overs, giving away 30 runs.
Top players of the tournament
- Player of the Tournament: Sandeep Shrestha (Nilkantha)
- Best Bowler: Ayush Bhatt (Nilkantha)
- Best Batter: Srijan Pandey (Benighat Rorang)
- Emerging Player: 12-year-old Anmol Pandey (Benighat Rorang)
Special honors during the final
Two national-level female cricketers from Dhading were honored during the final:
- Apsara Kumal (Nilkantha-8), who represented Bagmati Province
- Sania Giri (Siddhalek-7), another national-level player
Prize distribution and future plans
The final ceremony was graced by Benighat Rorang’s Chairperson Krishna Bahadur Thapaliya, Nilkantha Deputy Mayor Deepak Bishwakarma, and Chief Administrative Officer Purushottam Subedi.
Dhading District Cricket Association is now preparing for CAN affiliation and aims to make upcoming district leagues even more competitive. Two years ago, Dhading was runner-up in the Bagmati Provincial Cricket Tournament, beating Kathmandu, Kavre, and Rasuwa, but losing to Makwanpur in the final.
