Lumbini Lions beat Janakpur Bolts by 16 runs in the 14th match of the Nepal Premier League 2026 at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Thursday, 5 November 2026. Defending a total of 149 for eight, the Lions held Janakpur to 133 for eight in their 20 overs to strengthen their grip on top spot in the points table.
Captain Rohit Paudel was named Player of the Match after top-scoring with 38 off 31 balls and then bowling four economical overs for just 18 runs. It was Lumbini’s third win in four matches this season, while Janakpur slipped to their third defeat in five games.
Lumbini recover after losing Short first ball
Janakpur won the toss and chose to bowl, and the decision paid off immediately. D’Arcy Short was dismissed for a golden duck off the very first ball of the match, caught by Rahul Yadav off Lalit Rajbanshi.
Aasif Sheikh (14 off 13) and Niroshan Dickwella (22 off 18) steadied the innings with a 43-run stand, and Paudel then took charge. The Lumbini captain struck four fours and a six in his 38 off 31 balls, adding useful partnerships with Dickwella and Sundeep Jora, who made 20 off 16 balls.
Janakpur fought back through Rahul Yadav, who took two for 21 in four overs, while Lalit Rajbanshi, Harmeet Singh and James Neesham also claimed two wickets each. Late hitting from Sundeep Jora (20 off 16 balls) and Ruben Trumpelmann (eight not out off six balls) pushed Lumbini to 149 for eight, a total that looked competitive rather than commanding on a slow Kirtipur surface.
Janakpur’s middle-order collapse decides the match
Chasing 150, Janakpur never found any rhythm. Parvez Hossain Emon fell early, and although Saif Hassan (28 off 25) and Trit Raj Das (18 off 18) added 36 for the second wicket, the chase unravelled dramatically in the middle overs.
At the halfway mark they were 55 for five, with the required rate climbing beyond reach. Janakpur lost three wickets for just three runs, sliding from 53 for three to 56 for six, and then to 65 for seven when James Neesham departed for nine.
Captain Harmeet Singh kept the contest alive with a fighting 33 off 20 balls, including three sixes, and Aaditya Mahata smashed an unbeaten 30 off 24 balls with three sixes. The pair added 43 runs for the eighth wicket, but the damage had already been done. Janakpur finished on 133 for eight, 16 runs short.
Key performances
- Rohit Paudel (Lumbini Lions): 38 off 31 balls and 4-0-18-0 — Player of the Match.
- D’Arcy Short (Lumbini Lions): three for 23 in four overs, including the key wickets that broke Janakpur’s chase.
- Tilak Bhandari (Lumbini Lions): two for five in two overs, the most economical spell of the match.
- Harmeet Singh (Janakpur Bolts): 33 off 20 balls with three sixes, his side’s top score.
- Aaditya Mahata (Janakpur Bolts): unbeaten 30 off 24 balls with three sixes.
- Rahul Yadav (Janakpur Bolts): two for 21 in four overs.
Match scorecard
| Team | Score |
|---|---|
| Lumbini Lions | 149/8 in 20 overs |
| Janakpur Bolts | 133/8 in 20 overs |
| Result | Lumbini Lions won by 16 runs |
| Player of the Match | Rohit Paudel (38 off 31, 0/18) |
| Toss | Janakpur Bolts won the toss and chose to bowl |
What it means for the points table
The win kept Lumbini Lions at the top of the NPL 2026 points table, three points clear of the chasing pack after three wins from four matches. The defending champions have now extended their unbeaten run, and their bowling attack — led by Short, Bhandari and Sher Malla — once again defended a modest total.
For Janakpur, the inaugural-season winners, it was a third defeat in five matches, and the middle-order collapse will be the biggest concern. Their bowlers did well to restrict Lumbini to 149, but the batting unit could not build a single partnership of substance until Harmeet and Mahata came together far too late.
Both teams now head into the second half of the league stage knowing that every remaining match carries weight in the race for the playoffs.
FAQs
- Who won the Janakpur Bolts vs Lumbini Lions 14th match in NPL 2026? Lumbini Lions won by 16 runs, defending 149 for eight against Janakpur’s 133 for eight.
- Who was the Player of the Match? Lumbini Lions captain Rohit Paudel, who scored 38 off 31 balls and bowled four overs for 18 runs.
- What were the scores in the match? Lumbini Lions posted 149 for eight in 20 overs, and Janakpur Bolts replied with 133 for eight in 20 overs.
- Where was the match played? At the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on 5 November 2026.
- What does the result mean for the points table? Lumbini Lions stayed top of the table with three wins from four matches, while Janakpur Bolts suffered their third defeat in five games.
Lumbini Lions showed once again why they are the defending champions: a captain’s knock from Rohit Paudel, a disciplined bowling display, and the composure to defend a below-par total. Janakpur Bolts will rue a middle-order collapse that turned a gettable chase into a 16-run defeat. Source: https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scorecard/177701/jab-vs-lul-14th-match-nepal-premier-league-2026
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