CHITWAN TIGERS CROWNED NEW CHAMPIONS OF THE BAJAJ PULSAR EVEREST PREMIER LEAGUE

Dominant Chitwan Tigers win their maiden Bajaj Pulsar Everest premier league. Thanks to a half-century from Bhim Sharki and a 4-wicket haul from Kamal Singh Airee. Tigers won all three matches against Rhinos rather comfortably in the tournament.

Chasing below-par target 112, Pokhara Rhinos' pace duo of Nadan Yadav and Kishore Mahato made early inroads reducing Tigers to 20/3. However, Talented Bhim Sharki stood rock solid and his 54-run stand with Dilip Nath (18) assured they did not collapse further. Rajesh Pulami scored 14 off 12 before Nandan Yadav cleaned up him. Kishore Mahato's superb 4/27 was not enough on the day to stop Tigers.

Confident Tigers continued with the usual template - win the toss and chase the target - and asked Rhinos to bat first. Despite a brilliant start (37/0), once again Pokhara Rhinos collapsed in the middle after the departure of dashing Richard Levi, who smashed 15-ball 26 to give his team a good start. Pokhara then lost 4 wickets in the middle and could never recover. Asela Gunaratne top-scored Rhinos' innings with 24-ball 34 with the help of 3 fours and 1 six and Skipper Binod Bhandari chipped in with 22 including 2 fours. Dynamic pacer Kamal Singh Airee, who was also named player of the match, grabbed 4 for 20 as Rhinos were limited to only 111 that was never going to be enough.

Chitwan Tigers also dominated the award list as Sagar Dhakal was named player of the tournament and Bhim Sharki bagged the Emerging player award.