Lumbini Lions start their title defence with a seven-wicket win over Sudurpaschim

It was a rematch of last season's final, and it went the same way. Lumbini Lions beat Sudurpaschim Royals by seven wickets on Monday in the first game of NPL Season 3, at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.

Sudurpaschim all out for 87

Lumbini won the toss and chose to field. Sher Malla struck in the third over, trapping Binod Bhandari lbw, and Kishor Mahato took two in the fourth: Aarif Sheikh and Brandon McMullen.

Sudurpaschim never got going after that. They were all out for 87 in 17.2 overs. Captain Dipendra Singh Airee top-scored with 27 off 23 balls, Saif Zaib made 13 and Anil Kharel was 15 not out. Aarif Sheikh, Scott Kuggeleijn and Hemant Dhami all went for ducks.

Mahato finished with four for 22 and Malla took three for 11 from his four overs. Shadley van Schalkwyk, Tilak Bhandari and Rohit Paudel took one each.

A quick chase

Chasing 88, D'Arcy Short and Aasif Sheikh put on 71 in 6.2 overs. Short made 40 off 18 balls with four fours and three sixes, and was caught by Sherfane Rutherford off Kharel. Sheikh made 32 off 25, with two fours and two sixes, before Kharel got him too. Niroshan Dickwella was bowled by Airee for seven.

Captain Rohit Paudel finished it with a boundary off Airee in the 10th over, with 61 balls to spare. He was 5 not out and Shamim Hossain 1 not out. Lumbini made 88 for 3. Kharel took two wickets and Airee one, and Sher Malla was player of the match.

The full scorecard and the points table are on the match page.