The recently concluded KP Oli T20 Cup in Pokhara witnessed a historic moment as Madhesh Province surprised the Tribhuwan Army to secure their inaugural national-level title.
Organized by the Madan Bhandari Sports Academy, the tournament included seven provinces, three departmental teams, and two teams representing the organizers. Madhesh Province received a prize of five lakhs, while the Army was awarded two lakhs fifty thousand.
Observing the different scenarios, Cricnepal’s team picked the ideal XI of the KP Oli T20 Cup. The team includes four uncapped players as well:
Kushal Bhurtel – Nepal Police Club
Innings – 2, Runs – 169, Average – 84.50, SR – 156.28
The title contender Nepal Police Club were knocked out from the group stage after a surprising defeat against Sudurpaschim. However, Kushal Bhurtel was the standout player with 169 runs from just two matches. He scored 102 (only century of the tournament) against Madhesh and 67 against Sudurpaschim. Despite playing only two matches, the opener smacked 12 sixes (highest of the tournament).
Rit Gautam – Bagmati Province
Innings – 3, Runs – 170, Average – 56.66, SR – 134.92
Rit Gautam had a tournament to remember in Pokhara. He scored back-to-back half-centuries in the group stage (74 against MBSA Red and 82 against Karnali). The young batter finished as a top run scorer of the tournament (170) and was adjudged best batter as well. He scored 19 fours, which was the highest by any batter.
Harishankar Shah – Madhesh Province (c)
Matches – 4, Runs – 41, Wickets – 10
Harishankar Shah, captaining Madhesh Province, achieved a historic title victory. Although he didn’t have an outstanding series with the bat, he emerged as the joint-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. Shah’s noteworthy performance earned him the Player of the Tournament award. Shah, the left-handed batter is the captain of Cricnepal’s ideal XI.
Bhim Sharki – Tribhuwan Army
Inngs – 4, Runs – 120, Average – 40.00, SR – 142.85
Bhim Sharki who is currently in ODI plans only for Nepal had a great series. Displaying consistency and maintaining a commendable strike rate, he emerged as the third-highest run-scorer in the tournament.
Binod Bhandari – Tribhuwan Army (wk)
Innings – 4, Runs – 112, Average – 28.00, SR -136.58, Catches – 5, Stumping – 1
Binod Bhandari had a commendable performance as a batter in the tournament, opening the innings and amassing 112 runs from four matches. Despite having a formidable squad, his team succumbed to Madhesh Province in the final. Bhandari holds the position of wicket-keeper in Cricnepal’s ideal XI.
Bibek Yadav – Tribhuwan Army
Matches – 4, Runs – 55, SR – 177.41, Wickets – 7
Bibek Yadav managed to take at least one wicket in each of the four matches, accumulating a total of seven wickets. Additionally, the emerging all-rounder exhibited a remarkable showcase of power-hitting, achieving an impressive strike rate of 177.41. While batting in the lower order, he scored 55 runs, highlighting his versatility and impact in both facets of the game.
Bishal Patel – Madhesh Province
Matches – 4, Runs 56 (2 innings), SR – 155.55 Wickets – 6
Bishal Patel played a pivotal part in Madhesh’s historic victory, contributing significantly to their success. The left-arm pacer claimed six wickets in four matches. Particularly noteworthy was his match-winning innings of 49* runs against Army in the final. Patel being the southpaw and his ability to rise to the occasion and perform when needed earns him a well-deserved place in the best XI
Rupesh Singh – Madhesh Province
Matches – 4, Runs – 61 (3 innings), SR – 179.41, Wickets – 4
Rupesh Singh’s skills proved to be a valuable asset for Madhesh Province. Although he secured four wickets during the group stage, Singh faced a dry spell in the following two games without any wickets. However, he showcased resilience by contributing a gritty 40 runs against Nepal Police Club and played a dynamic innings of 21 that significantly contributed to Madhesh’s imposing total against APF in the semi-final.
Sandeep Lamichhane – Bagmati Province
Matches – 3, Wickets – 10, Economy – 5.13, Bowling SR – 5.13, Runs – 37
Sandeep Lamichhane returned to domestic cricket after two years and captained Bagmati Province. The star spinner made a significant impact, claiming 10 wickets in just three matches. However, their journey was halted in the semifinal by Army. In addition to his bowling prowess, Lamichhane also made a valuable contribution with the bat, amassing 37 runs.
Sarwan Yadav – Koshi Province
Matches – 2, Wickets – 6, Economy -5.10, Bowling SR – 7.83
The medium-paced bowler representing Koshi Province secured six wickets across two matches, taking three wickets each against Army and MBSA Blue. Unfortunately, their campaign concluded with a loss to Army. Notably, he managed to dismiss Bhim Sharki, Kushal Malla, and Bibek Yadav in the game against Army.
Shahab Alam – Tribhuwan Army
Matches – 4, Wickets – 10, Economy – 4.66, Bowling SR – 9.00
Shahab Alam consistently claimed at least one wicket in all four matches, concluding as the joint-highest wicket-taker of the tournament with a total of 10 wickets. The left-arm orthodox bowler played a pivotal role in Army’s campaign by securing seven wickets in two crucial matches, with four in the semifinal and three in the final.
Reserves:
Pradeep Airee – APF (wk): 105 runs from three matches
Santosh Karki – Army: 114 runs from four matches
Amrit Gurung – Gandaki: Five wickets from two matches
