Lumbini Lions vs Pokhara Avengers NPL 2026 Match Result: Paudel Stars as Lumbini Win by 8 Wickets

Lumbini Lions stayed unbeaten in the Nepal Premier League 2026 with a comfortable eight-wicket win over Pokhara Avengers in Match 13 at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Tuesday, November 3. Chasing only 98, the defending champions reached 98/2 in just 11.4 overs, sealing victory with 50 balls to spare.

Lumbini captain Rohit Paudel led from the front with an unbeaten 47 off 32 balls, while Niroshan Dickwella finished 27 not out off 26 balls in an unbroken 77-run third-wicket stand that ended Pokhara’s resistance. Pokhara, who are still searching for their first win of the season, were restricted to 97/9 in their 20 overs after Lumbini won the toss and elected to field first.

Lumbini vs Pokhara NPL 2026 Match Result: Score Summary

Team	Score	Overs
Pokhara Avengers	97/9	20
Lumbini Lions	98/2	11.4

Result: Lumbini Lions won by 8 wickets (50 balls remaining). Toss: Lumbini Lions won the toss and elected to field. Venue: Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur.

Pokhara Avengers Batting: Another Collapse as Top Order Fails Again

Pokhara’s batting struggles continued in their third match of the tournament. They managed only 23 runs for the loss of three wickets in the powerplay and took 88 balls to reach 50, underlining how little momentum their innings ever gathered.

Ruben Trumpelmann struck with the second ball of the match, bowling Arjun Kumal for a duck, and Lumbini never let Pokhara settle. Captain Kushal Bhurtel made 14 off 20 balls, Sadeera Samarawickrama scored 7 off 8, and Bipin Acharya managed just 1 off 8 as Pokhara slipped to 15/3 inside four overs.

Shakib Al Hasan, Pokhara’s star overseas signing, could manage only 3 off 8 balls before he was caught off Rohit Paudel’s bowling, leaving Pokhara 31/5 in the ninth over. Mahedi Hasan fought hard for 13 off 24 balls and Arjun Gharti made 6 off 20, but the innings only gained any late life when Chamika Karunaratne struck 25 off 17 balls with two sixes.

Karunaratne was run out at 91/9 in the 20th over, and Kiran Thagunna’s quick 12 off 6 balls, with one four and one six, helped Pokhara reach 97/9. Bipin Khatri finished 6 not out and Aakash Chand 1 not out, but the total was well below par on a ground where chasing sides have thrived.

Best Bowling Figures for Lumbini Lions

Bowler	Overs	Runs	Wickets
Ruben Trumpelmann	4	16	3
Tilak Bhandari	4	22	2
Sher Malla	4	24	1
Abhishesh Gautam	4	15	1
Rohit Paudel	1	2	1

Trumpelmann was the pick of the Lumbini attack with 3/16 from his four overs, removing Kumal, Samarawickrama and Gharti. Tilak Bhandari took 2/22, including the wickets of Bhurtel and Mahedi Hasan, while Sher Malla, Abhishesh Gautam and Paudel took one wicket each. Kishore Mahato was economical with 0/14 from three overs.

Lumbini Lions Chase: Paudel and Dickwella Seal an Easy Win

Lumbini’s chase began with a brief wobble. Aasif Sheikh was run out for 7 off 7 balls and D’Arcy Short, who struck 13 off just 6 balls with one four and one six, was caught off Bipin Khatri’s bowling, leaving Lumbini 21/2 in the second over.

That was as good as it got for Pokhara. Paudel and Dickwella then took complete control, adding an unbroken 77 runs for the third wicket. Paudel struck three fours and three sixes in his 47 not out off 32 balls, while Dickwella anchored the other end with 27 not out off 26 balls, including two fours and one six.

Lumbini reached the target in the 12th over, finishing on 98/2 in 11.4 overs. The win was never in doubt once the Paudel-Dickwella partnership passed fifty, with Pokhara’s bowlers unable to find a breakthrough or build any pressure.

Pokhara Avengers Bowling Figures

Bipin Khatri was Pokhara’s only wicket-taker with the ball, finishing with 1/20 from two overs. Shakib Al Hasan was economical with 0/6 from two overs but could not strike, while Mahedi Hasan went for 27 runs from four wicketless overs. Chamika Karunaratne (0/6), Kushal Bhurtel (0/12) and Aakash Chand (0/25) also went wicketless.

Player of the Match: No Official Award Confirmed Yet

At the time of publication, no official Player of the Match had been confirmed on the main scorecards for this fixture. The standout performances were Rohit Paudel’s unbeaten 47 and his wicket with the ball, and Ruben Trumpelmann’s 3/16 that broke Pokhara’s top order in the powerplay. This report will name the official award winner once it is confirmed, rather than guessing.

Key Turning Points in Lumbini vs Pokhara NPL Match 13

• Trumpelmann’s second-ball strike: Arjun Kumal’s duck set the tone, and Pokhara never recovered from their 23/3 powerplay.
• Shakib’s cheap dismissal: At 31/5, Pokhara had lost their biggest name for just 3 runs, and the innings stalled for the middle overs.
• The 77-run Paudel-Dickwella stand: After Lumbini slipped to 21/2, the captain and Dickwella calmly closed out a small chase without further loss.
• Karunaratne’s late hitting: His 25 off 17 balls at least gave Pokhara something to defend, but 97 was never going to be enough.

What the Result Means for the NPL 2026 Points Table

The win takes defending champions Lumbini Lions to five points from three matches, with two wins and one no-result, keeping them unbeaten in the tournament. Their net run rate, already the best in the league after their big opening win over Sudurpaschim Royals, improves further after this eight-wicket victory with 50 balls to spare.

Pokhara Avengers, meanwhile, remain rooted to the bottom of the table with no points from three matches. They have now lost to Sudurpaschim Royals, suffered Pokhara’s nine-run defeat to Janakpur, and now been beaten heavily by Lumbini. With only the top four reaching the playoffs, Pokhara already need a sharp turnaround to stay in contention.

The day had begun with Biratnagar beat Janakpur by 2 runs earlier on Tuesday in Match 12, and Lumbini’s win in the evening game means the points table at the top is now tightly packed, with several teams on four or five points. Lumbini’s unbeaten start, however, makes them the team to beat as the league stage continues at Kirtipur.

What’s Next in NPL 2026

Lumbini Lions will look to extend their unbeaten run in their remaining league matches, with Paudel in fine all-round form and Trumpelmann leading a disciplined bowling attack. Pokhara Avengers must fix their batting quickly: in three matches they have repeatedly lost early wickets, failed to build partnerships, and left too much to their lower order.

For the latest fixtures, scores and standings, follow our NPL 2026 today match coverage, which is updated daily through the tournament. No prediction pick existed for this individual fixture, as the site covered it through the NPL today-match article only, so no pick line applies to this report.