Sudurpaschim Royals vs Chitwan Rhinos NPL 2026 Match Result: Royals Win by 5 Wickets

Sudurpaschim Royals beat Chitwan Rhinos by 5 wickets in Match 11 of the Nepal Premier League 2026 at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Monday, November 2. Chasing a modest target of 130, the Royals reached 131 for 5 in just 16.4 overs, sealing the win with 20 balls to spare and collecting their second victory of the season.

Sudurpaschim won the toss and chose to field first, and their bowlers restricted Chitwan to 129 for 6 in 20 overs despite a fine 49 off 40 balls from Ravi Bopara, who reached 10,000 runs in all T20 cricket during his innings. In reply, Brandon McMullen smashed 43 off just 21 balls to break the back of the chase, before Sherfane Rutherford finished the job with the winning boundary.

Sudurpaschim vs Chitwan NPL 2026 match result: score summary

Match 11 Score Summary	Score
Chitwan Rhinos	129/6 (20 overs)
Sudurpaschim Royals	131/5 (16.4 overs)
Result	Sudurpaschim Royals won by 5 wickets (20 balls remaining)
Venue	Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur
Toss	Sudurpaschim Royals won the toss and chose to field

Ravi Bopara’s 49 and 10,000 T20 runs take Chitwan to 129 for 6

Chitwan’s innings never fully took off, but Bopara held it together with 49 off 40 balls, including three fours and two sixes. During his knock, the former England international passed 10,000 runs in all forms of T20 cricket, a landmark few players have reached. He found little support, however: Dawid Malan made 16 off 17 balls, Arjun Saud scored 15 off 16, captain Sikandar Raza managed 15 off 20, and Bibek Yadav added 17 off 15. Tom Taylor finished unbeaten on 6 off 6 balls.

For Sudurpaschim, Scott Kuggeleijn was the pick of the bowlers with 2 wickets for 27 runs in his four overs, dismissing Arjun Saud and Bopara. Captain Dipendra Singh Airee took 1 for 16 in three overs, Anil Kharel claimed 1 for 18, and Hemant Dhami picked up 1 for 26, as the Royals kept Chitwan to a below-par total on a good batting surface.

Brandon McMullen’s 43 off 21 breaks the chase open

Sudurpaschim’s chase began shakily: Saif Zaib fell for 2, and the Royals slipped to 70 for 4 in the seventh over after Binod Bhandari (11 off 7) and captain Airee (0 off 1) departed in quick succession. But McMullen changed the game with a blistering 43 off 21 balls, including six fours and two sixes, taking the attack to Chitwan’s bowlers and lifting the scoring rate beyond the required pace.

After McMullen’s dismissal at 70 for 3, Ishan Pandey steadied the innings with 25 off 29 balls. When he fell at 103 for 5 in the 13th over, Aarif Sheikh and Sherfane Rutherford took charge. The pair added an unbroken 28 runs, with Rutherford finishing on 21 not out off 15 balls and Aarif unbeaten on 20 off 26, as Rutherford struck the winning four in the 17th over to seal victory with 20 balls remaining.

For Chitwan, Ranjit Kumar was the standout bowler with 3 wickets for 28 runs in four overs, while Mousom Dhakal took 1 for 19 and Rijan Dhakal claimed 1 for 18. But the total was simply too small to defend once McMullen had given the chase its momentum.

What the result means for the NPL 2026 points table

The win takes Sudurpaschim Royals to 4 points from four matches, with two wins and two defeats, keeping them firmly in the hunt for the playoff places. Chitwan Rhinos, meanwhile, stay on 3 points from three matches, with one win, one abandoned game and now one defeat, and will need to bounce back quickly in their next outing.

With the league phase still in its early stages, every win matters, and Sudurpaschim’s comfortable chase — completed with more than three overs to spare — will also give their net run rate a healthy boost. Chitwan, who began the season with a win over Biratnagar Kings, will rue a batting display in which only Bopara passed 20 in the top order.

What’s next in NPL 2026

NPL 2026 continues at Kirtipur on Tuesday, November 3, with another double-header: Biratnagar Kings take on Janakpur Bolts in the afternoon match, followed by Lumbini Lions against Pokhara Avengers in the evening. You can find the next fixture, timings and streaming details in our NPL 2026 today match page, and the full list of squads in our NPL 2026 all teams squad guide.

FAQs: Sudurpaschim vs Chitwan NPL 2026

Who won Sudurpaschim vs Chitwan in NPL 2026?

Sudurpaschim Royals beat Chitwan Rhinos by 5 wickets in Match 11 of NPL 2026 on November 2, 2026, at Kirtipur.

What was the score of Sudurpaschim vs Chitwan?

Chitwan Rhinos scored 129 for 6 in 20 overs, and Sudurpaschim Royals replied with 131 for 5 in 16.4 overs.

Who top-scored in Sudurpaschim vs Chitwan?

Ravi Bopara top-scored for Chitwan with 49 off 40 balls, while Brandon McMullen’s 43 off 21 balls was the standout innings in Sudurpaschim’s chase.

What milestone did Ravi Bopara reach?

During his innings of 49, Ravi Bopara passed 10,000 runs in all forms of T20 cricket.

When is the next NPL 2026 match?

NPL 2026 continues at Kirtipur on November 3, 2026, with Biratnagar Kings vs Janakpur Bolts and Lumbini Lions vs Pokhara Avengers.