Amid all the chaos, the inaugural edition of the Nepal T20 League has successfully concluded. The tournaments produced some fascinating contests and memorable moments, even though the tournament had delayed start, payment issues, and a the fixing scandal suspect.

The Nepal T-20 league featured six teams in Biratnagar Super Kings, Far West United, Janakpur Royals, Kathmandu Knights, Lumbini All Star, and Pokhara Avengers. After 34 matches in around a month, Lumbini All Star was crowned the champions of 1st edition of Nepal T-20. In the final, Dipendra Singh Airee’s Lumbini All-Stars, coached by renowned English cricketer Peter Trego, clinched the title, defeating Rohit Paudel’s Biratnagar Super Kings.

During the Nepal T-20 tournament, some players became a household names while some big names flopped. Considering only four players are allowed to be in a team, I have come up with Nepal T-20 “Team of the Tournament”

Opening Batters:

Hashmatullah Shahidi (Afghanistan)

Team: Far West United

Matches: 10, Runs: 400, Average: 44.44, SR: 112.67, Best:76, 50s: 4, wickets: 8

Leading Run Scorer of the Tournament

Shahidi finished as the tournament’s highest run scorer with 400 runs with the highest score of 76. The left hander scored four half-centuries and also picked up eight wickets with his off break.

Lahiru Milantha (Sri Lanka)

Team: Lumbini All-Star

Matches: 11, Runs: 349, Average: 34.90, SR: 122.02, Catches: 6, Stumpings: 6

Milantha had a cracking start to the tournament, grabbing a POTM award in the first two matches. Apart from the two low scores, he played a nice little cameo in all the matches.

In at 3

Chadwick Walton (WK) (West Indies)

Team: Janakpur Royals

Matches: 9, Runs: 329, Average: 54.83, SR: 129.52

The carribean had a great tournament with the bat scoring 329 with four 50 plus scores and with an average of 54.83. In addition to that, he had 10 catches and three stumpings as a wicket keeper.

In at 4

Rohit Paudel (C)

Team: Biratnagar Super Kings

Matches: 13, Runs:348, Average:29.00, SR:116.38

Rohit Paudel is my captain for this team. The Nepali national team captain topped the run chart for Nepali batters. He scored four fifties and won the POTM in all four matches. He played a crucial role in leading his side to the final.

In at 5

Sundeep Jora

Team: Janakpur Royals

Matches:11, Runs:258, Average:32.25, SR:135.78

Sundeep Jora was among a few Nepali batters to impress during the tournament. He scored two half-centuries smoking 18 sixes in 10 innings.

In at 6

Hussain Talat (Pakistan)

Team: Biratnagar Super Kings

Matches: 13, Runs:367, Average:33.36, SR: 156.17, Wickets: 10

Player of the tournament

Hussain Talat scored 367 runs and picked up ten wickets, and was rightly adjudged the MVP of the tournament. The pace bowling allrounder smashed maximum (35) fours in the tournament. He played aggressive innings and picked up crucial wickets throughout the series.

In at 7

Kushal Malla 

Team: Pokhara Avengers

Matches:9 Runs:180 SR: 142.85 Wickets:9

Kushal Malla is in the ideal team as a finisher and a part-time bowler. The young man was impressive with his finishing touch and bowling as well. Malla scored one fifty and smacked 16 biggies throughout the tourney. He also yielded the breakthrough quite a few times.

In at 8

Karan Kc

Team: Far West United

Matches:10, Runs: 141, SR: 185.52, Wickets: 14

Karan Kc picked up 14 wickets and smacked 141 runs for his side in ten matches. The pace bowler helped his side add vital runs in the death over and picked up crucial wickets too.

In at 9

Lalit Rajbanshi

Team: Janakpur Royals

Matches: 12, Wickets: 16, Economy: 6.07, Bowling Average: 14.50

Lalit Rajbanshi had a redemption tournament as he picked up 16 wickets with a fine average, economy and strike rate. He was the only bowler to grab a fifer in the tournament.

In at 10

Surya Tamang

Team: Biratnagar Super Kings

Matches: 8, Wickets: 12, Economy: 4.35, SR: 13.3, Average: 9.66

Emerging player of the Tournament

Surya Tamang was sensational throughout the tournament and was honoured as an emerging player of the tournament. In the league dominated by left-arm orthodox bowlers, young Tamang had the best economy and average by any bowler ( to have played at least five matches).

In at 11

Abinash Bohara

Team: Kathmandu Knights

Matches: 11, Wickets: 19, SR:11.9

Best Bowler of the Tournament

Avinash Bohara picked up 19 wickets and ended up as the tournament’s best bowler. The death-over specialist picked up at least one wicket in every single match with a best bowling figure of 4/13.

My Nepal -T20 Team of the tournament

– Hashmatullah Shahidi
– Lahiru Milantha
– Chadwick Walton
– Rohit Paudel (C)
– Sundeep Jora
– Hussain Talat
– Kushal Malla
– Karan Kc
– Lalit Rajbanshi
– Surya Tamang
– Abinash Bohara