W
2
4
1
1
1
= 9
Match Details
CWR vs PKA, 17th T20, NPL 2026 summary
PKA
121-10(19.0)
Chitwan Rhinos won by 30 runs 🏆
CWR
(20.0)151-6
+
P'ship : 0(0)
26:00
Chitwan Rhinos beat Pokhara Avengers by 30 runs | Match 17…
Commentary
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Highlights
Overs
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6s
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Inn 1
Inn 2
Milestone
Until then, I am Dev Rajawat, signing off along with my co-commentator, Ninaad Dixit, and scorer, Zeeshan Naiyer. That’s it from our side. Thanks for joining. Goodbye from this tab! TAKE CARE! BREATHE AND SMILE! CIAO!!!
The Nepal Premier League now has just one match lined up for tomorrow, Saturday, November 7, with Kathmandu Gorkhas taking on Lumbini Lions in Kirtipur in the afternoon. After today's drama, another exciting contest awaits. Do join us as the NPL action continues!
And so, Chitwan have found their second win in four matches, while Pokhara's search for their first victory continues after a fourth defeat in four outings. The 60-run opening stand gave the Rhinos a platform, but it was the partnership between Bopara and Raza that proved too big for the Avengers to overcome. Kumal fought hard in the chase, yet Chitwan's bowlers had the final say, turning a promising pursuit into a procession back to the pavilion.
Sikandar Raza (Chitwan Rhinos Captain): [On the team's hard-fought victory] "Firstly, I've got a bone to pick with Akers (HD Ackerman)! We both had a look at the wicket and felt that batting first was a great idea. I lost the toss, but I can tell you that it was a belter, especially under the lights and with the dew around. In the previous game, the pitch actually got worse, but today it was an excellent surface for batting. Rijan rightly got the Player of the Match award because our bowlers had to dig deep to win this game. At one stage, it looked like the opposition were going to cruise to victory, but credit to Kamal and Rijan. Those two local boys stepped up when we needed them, and I'm really happy for them.
[On the impact of Kamal and the seamers] I saw that Kamal picked up four wickets in the first game, but unfortunately, he couldn't bowl much in the last match because the conditions offered a lot of turn. It was difficult to bring the seamers into the attack when the spinners were getting so much assistance. We needed to hold on to our catches and bowl with discipline. We could have had a great chance of winning that game as well. Today, though, I kept speaking to the spinners, and even when I bowled, I felt the ball was skidding on nicely. I thought our best chance of winning was to bring the seamers back and see what they could do. Credit to those two because they completely turned the game around for us.
[On his aggressive batting approach and contribution] Maybe the wicket got better; that's all I would say! We were slightly behind, and I felt that if I batted the way the others had batted, we would never get to a competitive total. Our only hope was for me to go out there and play some shots. I wanted to get a few boundaries early because that would have boosted my confidence. Once I got that early start, I just watched the ball and swung as hard as I could.
[On connecting with the fans and building the franchise] I think it's all about building a connection with the fans. For a franchise to grow and attract more support, that connection is important. It cannot happen simply by fans buying tickets and coming to watch the games. I believe it's also the responsibility of the players to connect with their home supporters. They show us so much warmth, and if we can give a little love and respect back, that relationship will only grow. We went over there to thank them for their support."
[On the impact of Kamal and the seamers] I saw that Kamal picked up four wickets in the first game, but unfortunately, he couldn't bowl much in the last match because the conditions offered a lot of turn. It was difficult to bring the seamers into the attack when the spinners were getting so much assistance. We needed to hold on to our catches and bowl with discipline. We could have had a great chance of winning that game as well. Today, though, I kept speaking to the spinners, and even when I bowled, I felt the ball was skidding on nicely. I thought our best chance of winning was to bring the seamers back and see what they could do. Credit to those two because they completely turned the game around for us.
[On his aggressive batting approach and contribution] Maybe the wicket got better; that's all I would say! We were slightly behind, and I felt that if I batted the way the others had batted, we would never get to a competitive total. Our only hope was for me to go out there and play some shots. I wanted to get a few boundaries early because that would have boosted my confidence. Once I got that early start, I just watched the ball and swung as hard as I could.
[On connecting with the fans and building the franchise] I think it's all about building a connection with the fans. For a franchise to grow and attract more support, that connection is important. It cannot happen simply by fans buying tickets and coming to watch the games. I believe it's also the responsibility of the players to connect with their home supporters. They show us so much warmth, and if we can give a little love and respect back, that relationship will only grow. We went over there to thank them for their support."
Chamika Karunaratne (Pokhara Avengers Captain): [On the team's fourth consecutive defeat] "I think the players did really well with their bowling and fielding. We made a few mistakes, but the energy was there, and everyone wanted to win today. However, the game changed in the final five overs. I honestly don't know what's going wrong for us, but we're struggling to finish games. I also had a wrist injury, and I feel I should have won this game for the team, but unfortunately, things didn't go our way again.
[On Sikandar Raza's innings and the target] Definitely. We've played with Raza for a long time, and he's a world-class player. I've known him for years and have seen how he plays. He delivered when it mattered, and that's what good players do. However, I think 150 was an achievable target. Unfortunately, nothing seems to be going our way despite trying everything we can.
[On Arjun Kumal and his contribution with the bat] He's always been a talented player, and I've backed him in this game as well. I had seen him during training, and I know how hard he works. He has a good touch and, importantly, he's a calm person. We need that calmness in the middle, especially when batting for longer periods on these wickets, because it's not easy to go out there and start playing shots immediately. He's doing that really well, and I hope he continues to do well for his country.
[On the team's approach for the remainder of the season] Everyone came into this game with a lot of determination and wanted to achieve something. If you look at the energy today, you can see that. For the first 15 overs, I think the game was in our favour, but everything changed in the last five overs. I keep saying that I should have played a big innings and won the game for the team, but unfortunately, it didn't happen. We're still trying our best, and we're continuing to fight."
[On Sikandar Raza's innings and the target] Definitely. We've played with Raza for a long time, and he's a world-class player. I've known him for years and have seen how he plays. He delivered when it mattered, and that's what good players do. However, I think 150 was an achievable target. Unfortunately, nothing seems to be going our way despite trying everything we can.
[On Arjun Kumal and his contribution with the bat] He's always been a talented player, and I've backed him in this game as well. I had seen him during training, and I know how hard he works. He has a good touch and, importantly, he's a calm person. We need that calmness in the middle, especially when batting for longer periods on these wickets, because it's not easy to go out there and start playing shots immediately. He's doing that really well, and I hope he continues to do well for his country.
[On the team's approach for the remainder of the season] Everyone came into this game with a lot of determination and wanted to achieve something. If you look at the energy today, you can see that. For the first 15 overs, I think the game was in our favour, but everything changed in the last five overs. I keep saying that I should have played a big innings and won the game for the team, but unfortunately, it didn't happen. We're still trying our best, and we're continuing to fight."
Rijan Dhakal (Player of the Match): [On executing his plans under pressure] "It was all about relying on what I've learned over the years and putting in the effort on the field. The key was to execute our plans. I was also communicating with the captain, who guided me throughout the game, and I was fortunate enough to execute those plans successfully.
[On using slower deliveries at the death] We've analysed all the games we've played so far, and we've seen that the conditions have been helpful for the spinners as well. Bowling slower balls is one of my strengths, so I always try to make the most of that and execute them well.
[On gaining confidence from match-winning performances] Putting in a match-winning performance for your team always boosts your confidence. Hopefully, I can continue doing this throughout the tournament.
[On his ambition to return to the national team] The ultimate goal is to play for the country. There's no doubt about that."
[On using slower deliveries at the death] We've analysed all the games we've played so far, and we've seen that the conditions have been helpful for the spinners as well. Bowling slower balls is one of my strengths, so I always try to make the most of that and execute them well.
[On gaining confidence from match-winning performances] Putting in a match-winning performance for your team always boosts your confidence. Hopefully, I can continue doing this throughout the tournament.
[On his ambition to return to the national team] The ultimate goal is to play for the country. There's no doubt about that."
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: RIJAN DHAKAL
Maximum Fours in the Match: Yuvraj Samra
Energetic Player of the Match: Deepak Bohara
Powerplay Player of the Match: Arjun Saud
Commentary