Sudurpaschim vs Karnali NPL 2026 Match Result: David Miller’s 93* in Vain as Royals Win by 39 Runs

Sudurpaschim Royals beat Karnali Yaks by 39 runs in Match 16 of the Nepal Premier League 2026 at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Friday, November 6, 2026. David Miller’s unbeaten 93 off 55 balls was the standout innings of the match, but it was not enough for Karnali, who finished on 137/7 chasing 177.

The win lifts Sudurpaschim to six points from six matches in the NPL 2026 points table, while Karnali stay on four points from four games. Karnali won the toss and elected to field first, but Sudurpaschim’s strong start and a disciplined bowling performance sealed a comfortable victory.

Sudurpaschim vs Karnali NPL 2026 Match Result: Royals Post 176/6 After Karnali Opt to Bowl

Karnali captain Sompal Kami won the toss and put Sudurpaschim in to bat, hoping to use the early conditions at Kirtipur. Openers Binod Bhandari and Saif Zaib gave the Royals exactly the start they wanted, adding 68 runs for the first wicket and raising hopes of a much bigger total.

Bhandari scored 27 off 22 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes, before being run out. Zaib followed shortly afterwards, bowled by Surya Tamang for 35 off 24 balls with four fours and a six. At the drinks break, Sudurpaschim were 88/2 in 10 overs, with Brandon McMullen on 14 and captain Dipendra Singh Airee on 6.

McMullen added 24 off 16 balls before falling to Nandan Yadav, and Ishan Pandey contributed 23 as Karnali’s bowlers slowed the scoring through the middle overs. Tharindu Ratnayake (22 not out) and Scott Kuggeleijn (13 not out) remained unbeaten at the end of the innings as Sudurpaschim finished on 176/6 in their 20 overs.

For Karnali, Mark Watt claimed two wickets, while Surya Tamang, Nandan Yadav and Hussain Talat took one wicket each. The 177-run target was a challenging one, but very much within reach on a good batting surface at Kirtipur.

Sudurpaschim Royals Batting Scorecard: Zaib and Bhandari Set Up 176/6

Batter	Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Binod Bhandari (run out)	27	22	2	2
Saif Zaib (b Surya Tamang)	35	24	4	1
Brandon McMullen (b Nandan Yadav)	24	16	–	–
Ishan Pandey	23	–	–	–
Tharindu Ratnayake (not out)	22	–	–	–
Scott Kuggeleijn (not out)	13	–	–	–

Sudurpaschim Royals total: 176/6 in 20 overs. Opening partnership: 68 runs (Bhandari-Zaib).

Karnali Yaks Batting Collapse: David Miller 93 Not Out Fights Lone Battle in 137/7

Karnali’s chase never got going. Ariful Islam fell for a duck in the second ball of the innings, and the Yaks slipped to 26/3 inside five overs, with Deepak Dumre’s 18 off 12 balls the only early resistance. When Hussain Talat fell at 49/5 in the 10th over, the chase was effectively over as a contest.

David Miller, however, refused to give up. The South African left-hander carried the innings almost single-handedly, finishing unbeaten on 93 off 55 balls with five fours and seven sixes. He added 36 runs with captain Sompal Kami (8 off 17) for the sixth wicket and an unbroken 31 off just 11 balls with Nandan Yadav (5 not out off 3) at the end, but the required rate had climbed far beyond reach by then.

Miller’s 93 not out was the highest individual score of the match and the only fifty of the game, yet he found almost no support: no other Karnali batter passed 18. Karnali finished on 137/7 in their 20 overs, 39 runs short of the target.

Karnali Yaks Batting Scorecard: Miller 93* as Yaks Fall 39 Runs Short

Batter	Runs	Balls	4s	6s
Ariful Islam (c Kharel b Kuggeleijn)	0	2	0	0
Mark Watt (c Ratnayake b Dhami)	4	9	0	0
Deepak Dumre (c McMullen b Kharel)	18	12	3	1
David Miller (not out)	93	55	5	7
Pawan Sarraf (b Ratnayake)	5	13	0	0
Hussain Talat (lbw b Airee)	1	4	0	0
Sompal Kami (c McMullen b Bohara)	8	17	0	0
Gulsan Jha (c Pandey b Kuggeleijn)	3	5	0	0
Nandan Yadav (not out)	5	3	1	0

Karnali Yaks total: 137/7 in 20 overs (Extras 0). Fall of wickets: 0/1, 18/2, 26/3, 46/4, 49/5, 85/6, 106/7.

Best Bowling Figures: Kuggeleijn Leads Disciplined Sudurpaschim Attack

Sudurpaschim’s bowlers shared the wickets around, with no one bowler carrying the attack alone. Scott Kuggeleijn was the pick with 2/39 in his four overs, removing Ariful Islam and Gulsan Jha. Hemant Dhami was the most economical, taking 1/14 in three overs, while Anil Kharel (1/9 in two overs), captain Dipendra Singh Airee (1/16 in four overs), Tharindu Ratnayake (1/18 in four overs) and Abinash Bohara (1/13 in one over) all chipped in with a wicket each.

The early strikes were decisive. Karnali were three down for 26 inside the powerplay, and by the time Miller found any rhythm the asking rate had already climbed past 10 runs an over. Ishan Pandey was the only Sudurpaschim bowler to go wicketless, conceding 28 runs in two overs.

Key Turning Points in Sudurpaschim vs Karnali NPL Match 16

• The 68-run opening stand: Bhandari and Zaib gave Sudurpaschim a flying start after being put in to bat, and the platform they built meant the Royals could post 176 even after Karnali slowed the scoring in the middle overs.
• Karnali’s powerplay collapse: Losing three wickets for 26 runs inside five overs, including a duck for Ariful Islam off just the second ball, left the chase needing a miracle from the very start.
• The 49/5 moment: When Hussain Talat fell lbw to Airee in the 10th over, Karnali had lost half their side for under 50 with the required rate already past 10 an over.
• Miller’s lone resistance: David Miller’s unbeaten 93 off 55 balls kept Karnali in the game on paper, but with no partner staying with him — the best stand after the top order fell was 36 with Sompal Kami — the target was always out of reach.

Player of the Match: David Miller

David Miller was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 93 off 55 balls for Karnali — the highest score of the match by a distance — even though it came in a losing cause. Scott Kuggeleijn’s 2/39 and 13 not out, and the opening pair of Saif Zaib (35) and Binod Bhandari (27), were the key contributions in Sudurpaschim’s win.

What the Result Means for the NPL 2026 Points Table

Before this match, Karnali sat third in the standings with four points from three matches, while Sudurpaschim were sixth with four points from five matches. The 39-run win takes Sudurpaschim to six points from six matches (three wins, three defeats), while Karnali stay on four points from four games (two wins, two defeats).

It is a useful two points for the Royals, who had been stuck in the bottom half of the table despite beating Chitwan Rhinos earlier in the tournament. For Karnali, the defeat is a setback after a strong start, and their net run rate takes a hit too — a 39-run defeat in a chase of 177 is a heavy margin in T20 cricket.

Both teams remain firmly in the playoff race with matches still to come, but Karnali will need to regroup quickly: their batting beyond Miller offered almost nothing in this game, and that is a concern with the business end of the league stage approaching.

What’s Next in NPL 2026

The action continues at Kirtipur later today, with Chitwan Rhinos taking on Pokhara Avengers in Match 17, scheduled for 4:45 PM IST. Pokhara are still searching for their first win of the season after three straight defeats, while Chitwan will look to build on their points tally.

Sudurpaschim’s next fixture and Karnali’s next outing will be covered in the NPL 2026 today match update. Sudurpaschim’s earlier win in the tournament came against Chitwan, when Sudurpaschim beat Chitwan by five wickets chasing 130, and the full NPL 2026 squads for all eight teams are available on the site.

No prediction pick existed for this individual fixture — the site covered it through the NPL today-match article — so no pick line applies to this report.