After all the controversies, drama, entertainment and several exciting contests, the inaugural edition of the Nepal T20 League concluded on Wednesday. Dipendra Singh Airee’s Lumbini All-Stars, who were looking solid from the start of the tournament, clinched the title, defeating Rohit Paudel’s Biratnagar Super Kings.
Lumbini restricted Biratnagar to 109 after posting 133 runs in the first inning. Harmeet Singh was the star of the final with a brilliant all-round performance. Lumbini will receive fifty-five lakh Nepali rupees, while the runner-up, Super Kings, will get thirty lakhs.
Hussain Talat was adjudged as player of the tournament and was rewarded five lakhs Nrs. Similarly, Hasmatulla Shahidi and Avinash Bohara were the best batter and bowlers respectively and got the prize money of two lakhs fifty thousand rupees each. Surya Tamang announced as an emerging player of the series, bagged one lakh eighty thousand rupees.
Observing the different scenarios, Cricnepal’s team picked the team of the Nepal T20 League 2022/23. The team includes four foreigners (maximum) and seven Nepali players:
1. Hashmatullah Shahidi
Team: Far West United, Matches: 10, Runs: 400, Average: 44.44, SR: 112.67, Wickets: 8
Shahidi finished as the tournament’s highest run scorer with 400 runs. With the highest score of 76, the southpaw scored four half-centuries. The Afghan player also picked up eight wickets with his off-break bowling with a healthy average.
2. Lahiru Milantha (wk)
Team: Lumbini All-Stars, Matches: 11, Runs: 349, Average: 34.90, SR: 122.02, Catches: 6, Stumpings: 6
Milantha had a cracking start to the tournament, grabbing a POTM award in the first two matches. The Sri Lankan lefty was dismissed for a single-digit score in two matches; else, he played a nice little cameo in all the matches.
3. Chadwick Walton
Team: Janakpur Royals, Matches: 9, Runs: 329, Average: 54.83, SR: 129.52
Walton had a good tournament, although his side failed to book a spot in the final. The Caribbean player also notched up four fifties and was the only batter to have a 50+ average. Fulfiling the role of wicket-keeper, He managed to grab ten catches and three stumpings.
4. Rohit Paudel (c)
Team: Biratnagar Super Kings, Matches: 13, Runs:348, Average:29.00, SR:116.38
Rohit Paudel ended up as the highest run-getting Nepali batter. He scored four fifties and won the POTM in all four matches. He played a crucial role in leading his side to the final.
5. Sundeep Jora
Team: Janakpur Royals, Matches:11, Runs:258, Average:32.25, SR:135.78
Sundeep Jora was among the few Nepali batters to impress during the tournament. He scored two half-centuries; however, his ending was not satisfactory. The 21 years old smacked 18 sixes in ten innings.
6. Hussain Talat
Team: Biratnagar Super Kings, Matches: 13, Runs:367, Average:33.36, SR: 156.17, Wickets: 10
Hussain Talat scoring 367 runs and picking up ten wickets, was adjudged the MVP of the tournament. The pace bowling allrounder scored the highest number of fours (35) in the entire tournament. He played aggressive innings and picked up crucial wickets with a healthy economy throughout the series.
7. Kushal Malla
Team: Pokhara Avengers, Matches:9 Runs:180 SR: 142.85 Wickets:9
Kushal Malla is in the ideal team as a finisher and a part-time bowler. The young man was impressive with his finishing touch and bowling as well. Malla scored one fifty and smacked 16 biggies throughout the tourney. He also yielded the breakthrough quite a few times.
8. Karan KC
Team: Far West United, Matches:10, Runs: 141, SR: 185.52, Wickets: 14
Karan Kc picked up 14 wickets and smacked 141 runs for his side in ten matches. The pace bowler helped his side add vital runs in the death over and picked up crucial wickets too.
9. Lalit Rajbanshi
Team: Janakpur Royals, Matches: 12, Wickets: 16, Economy: 6.07, Bowling Average: 14.50
Lalit Rajbanshi had a redemption tournament as he picked up 16 wickets with a fine average, economy and strike rate. He was the only bowler to grab a fifer in the tournament.
10. Surya Tamang
Team: Biratnagar Super Kings, Matches: 8, Wickets: 12, Economy: 4.35, SR: 13.3, Average: 9.66
Surya Tamang was sensational throughout the tournament and was honoured as an emerging player of the tournament. In the league dominated by left-arm orthodox bowlers, young Tamang had the best economy and average by any bowler ( to have played at least five matches).
11. Abinash Bohara
Team: Kathmandu Knights, Matches: 11, Wickets: 19, SR:11.9
Avinash Bohara picked up 19 wickets and ended up as the tournament’s best bowler. The death-over specialist picked up at least one wicket in every single match with a best bowling figure of 4/13.
Apart from these 11, Harmeet Singh, Raj Nanan, Binod Bhandari, Nandan Yadav, Aasif Sheikh and Dipendra Singh Airee are the special mention.
Cricnepal’s Ideal XI:
– Hashmatullah Shahidi (Left handed opening batter and part-time off-break bowler)
– Lahiru Milantha (WK and left-handed opener)
– Chadwick Walton (Top order batter)
– Rohit Paudel (Captain and middle-order batter)
– Sundeep Jora (Middle order batter)
– Hussain Talat (Middle order batter/finisher and pacer
– Kushal Malla (Finisher and left-arm orthodox bowler)
– Karan Kc (Finisher and right-arm pacer)
– Lalit Rajbanshi (Slow left-arm orthodox bowler)
– Surya Tamang (Slow left-arm orthodox bowler)
– Abinash Bohara (Right-arm medium pacer/death bowler)
