Chitwan vs Pokhara NPL 2026 Match Result: Rijan Dhakal’s 4/24 Powers Rhinos to 30-Run Win

Chitwan Rhinos beat Pokhara Avengers by 30 runs in Match 17 of the Nepal Premier League 2026 at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Friday, November 6, 2026. Defending 152, Chitwan bowled Pokhara out for 121 in 19 overs, with Rijan Dhakal taking 4 for 24 and being named Player of the Match. The win takes Chitwan to five points from four matches, while Pokhara remain winless after four straight defeats in NPL 2026.

Pokhara captain Kushal Bhurtel won the toss and elected to field first, but his bowlers could not keep Chitwan quiet. Sikandar Raza’s explosive 37 off 16 balls at the death lifted Chitwan to 151 for 6, and the Rhinos’ bowlers then choked the chase. Arjun Kumal fought alone for Pokhara with 45 off 44 balls, but once Kamal Singh Airee removed him in the 18th over, the innings folded. Rijan Dhakal finished the job with two wickets in the final over as Pokhara lost their last four wickets for just four runs.

Chitwan vs Pokhara NPL 2026 Match 17 Score Summary

Team	Score	Overs	Top Scorer	Best Bowler
Chitwan Rhinos	151/6	20	Sikandar Raza 37 (16)	Bipin Khatri 2/22
Pokhara Avengers	121 all out	19	Arjun Kumal 45 (44)	Rijan Dhakal 4/24

Result: Chitwan Rhinos won by 30 runs. Toss: Pokhara Avengers won the toss and elected to field. Player of the Match: Rijan Dhakal (4/24). Venue: Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. Date: Friday, November 6, 2026.

Chitwan Rhinos Innings: Raza’s Late Blitz Lifts Rhinos to 151/6

Chitwan’s innings was built on steady contributions through the order before Raza provided the late fireworks. Arjun Saud gave the Rhinos a solid start with 31 off 27 balls, including two fours and a six, before falling lbw to Bipin Khatri. Dawid Malan, the experienced England batter, added 28 off 28 balls with three fours, and Ravi Bopara chipped in with 35 off 28 balls, striking three fours and a six.

Kushal Malla managed 11 off 13 balls and Dan Mousley fell for just 2, but captain Sikandar Raza changed the tempo. The Zimbabwe all-rounder smashed 37 off only 16 balls, hitting two fours and four sixes at a strike rate of 231.25, to push Chitwan past 150. Bibek Yadav finished unbeaten on 0 and Kamal Singh Airee was 4 not out off two balls as Chitwan closed on 151 for 6, with three extras in the total.

For Pokhara, Bipin Khatri was the most economical bowler with 2 for 22 from his four overs. Captain Kushal Bhurtel took 2 for 26 from four overs, and Chamika Karunaratne claimed 2 for 34. Mahedi Hasan went wicketless for 32 runs, Sagar Dhakal conceded 26 from three overs, and Sudip Aryal gave away nine runs in his single over.

Chitwan Rhinos Batting Scorecard

Batter	Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Arjun Saud (wk)	31	27	2	1
Dawid Malan	28	28	3	0
Ravi Bopara	35	28	3	1
Dan Mousley	2	5	0	0
Kushal Malla	11	13	1	0
Sikandar Raza (c)	37	16	2	4
Bibek Yadav	0*	1	0	0
Kamal Singh Airee	4*	2	0	0

Pokhara Avengers Innings: Kumal’s 45 in Vain as Rhinos Bowlers Strike

Chasing 152, Pokhara never quite got going. Captain Kushal Bhurtel fell early for 4 off three balls, and Yuvraj Samra’s promising 19 off 14 balls, with four fours, ended when Dan Mousley bowled him. Arjun Kumal held the innings together with a patient 45 off 44 balls, hitting three fours and a six, but he found little support around him. Sadeera Samarawickrama made 4 off 11 balls, Mahedi Hasan scored 7 off 8, and Kiran Thagunna contributed 13 off 13 balls with a six.

Chamika Karunaratne managed only 2 off six balls, Arjun Gharti made 12 off 10, and Sudip Aryal fell for a four-ball duck. With the required rate climbing past 12 an over, Pokhara’s lower order could not find the boundary. Bipin Khatri was left unbeaten on 0 and Sagar Dhakal was bowled for a golden duck as Pokhara were dismissed for 121 in 19 overs, with 15 extras in the total.

Rijan Dhakal led the Chitwan bowling attack, taking 4 for 24 from his four overs, including the two wickets that ended the match in the 19th over. Kamal Singh Airee was superb with 3 for 7 from two overs, including a maiden, and his dismissal of the set Kumal in the 18th over broke Pokhara’s last real hope. Dan Mousley took 1 for 10, Kushal Malla 1 for 12 from four overs, and Mousom Dhakal 1 for 11. Raza went wicketless for 19 runs and Ranjit Kumar conceded 34 from three overs.

Pokhara Avengers Batting Scorecard

Batter	Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Kushal Bhurtel (c)	4	3	1	0
Yuvraj Samra	19	14	4	0
Arjun Kumal	45	44	3	1
Sadeera Samarawickrama	4	11	0	0
Mahedi Hasan	7	8	0	0
Kiran Thagunna	13	13	0	1
Chamika Karunaratne	2	6	0	0
Arjun Gharti (wk)	12	10	1	0
Sudip Aryal	0	4	0	0
Bipin Khatri	0*	0	0	0
Sagar Dhakal	0	1	0	0

Player of the Match: Rijan Dhakal’s 4/24 Wins It for Chitwan

Rijan Dhakal was named Player of the Match for his match-winning spell of 4 for 24 from four overs. The left-arm bowler removed Kiran Thagunna and Chamika Karunaratne in the middle overs, then returned to finish the game in the 19th over, dismissing Arjun Gharti and Sagar Dhakal off successive deliveries to bowl Pokhara out with six balls to spare. His four wickets came at a crucial time, just as Pokhara were trying to launch a late assault on the target.

Kamal Singh Airee deserves special mention too. His figures of 3 for 7 from two overs, including a maiden, were the most economical of the match, and his wicket of Arjun Kumal, Pokhara’s top scorer, effectively ended the contest.

Key Turning Points in the Chitwan vs Pokhara NPL 2026 Match

• Raza’s 16-ball 37: Chitwan were heading for a below-par total before their captain’s four sixes in the closing overs lifted them to a competitive 151 for 6.
• Bhurtel’s early dismissal: Pokhara lost their captain for 4 in the first over of the chase, putting the pressure on the middle order from the start.
• Kumal’s lone fight: Arjun Kumal’s 45 off 44 balls kept Pokhara in touch, but no other batter passed 19, and the required rate kept climbing.
• Airee removes Kumal: With Pokhara needing 35 off 12 balls, Kamal Singh Airee dismissed the set Kumal for 45, and the chase collapsed from 117 for 8.
• Dhakal’s final-over double strike: Rijan Dhakal bowled Sagar Dhakal and had Arjun Gharti caught in the 19th over, ending Pokhara’s innings on 121 with six balls unused.

What the Result Means for the NPL 2026 Points Table

The win moves Chitwan Rhinos to five points from four matches, with two wins, one loss and one no-result, keeping them firmly in the hunt for a playoff spot. Their bowling attack, led by Dhakal and Airee, looks well balanced, and the batting has contributions spread through the order.

For Pokhara Avengers, the defeat is their fourth in four matches, and they remain rooted to the bottom of the NPL 2026 points table on zero points. Chasing 152 was well within reach, but the middle order could not build partnerships around Kumal, and the side has now lost four games in a row. Pokhara urgently need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive as the league stage heads into its final weekend.

No prediction pick existed for this individual fixture, as the site covered it through the NPL 2026 today match article rather than a standalone prediction, so no pick line applies here.

What’s Next in NPL 2026

The NPL 2026 league stage continues over the weekend, with the final league-round match between Janakpur Bolts and Karnali Yaks scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Kirtipur. Chitwan will look to carry this momentum into their remaining fixtures and push for a top-four finish, while Pokhara must regroup quickly and find a first win before their campaign slips away. For the full fixture list and venues, see the NPL 2026 schedule, and for the earlier match of the day, read the Sudurpaschim vs Karnali match result, where David Miller’s unbeaten 93 went in vain in a 39-run defeat.