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Kathmandu — Lumbini Lions have clinched the title of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) Season 2 after defeating Sudurpaschim Royals by six wickets in the final played on Saturday.

Chasing a modest target of 86 runs, Lumbini reached the target on the final ball of the ninth over, losing four wickets in the process. Opener Dinesh Adhikari top-scored with an explosive 42 off just 13 balls. Darcy Short was dismissed for 13, and captain Rohit Paudel scored 18, while Sandeep Jora was out for a duck. Niroshan Dickwella remained unbeaten on 11, and Dilip Nath finished not out on one.

Earlier, Lumbini’s bowlers delivered a dominant performance to set up the victory. Captain Rohit Paudel, Sher Malla, and Ruvin Trumpelmann claimed three wickets each, restricting Sudurpaschim Royals to 85 all out in 19.1 overs after they elected to bat first.

For Sudurpaschim, Ishan Pandey was the top scorer with 33 runs off 51 balls, hitting one four. Captain Dipendra Singh Airee contributed 13 runs, while Harmeet Singh and Scott Kuggeleijn scored 10 runs apiece. None of the other batters managed to reach double figures. Tilak Bhandari picked up the remaining wicket for Lumbini.

Lumbini Lions’ title triumph marked a remarkable turnaround in the tournament. After winning their opening match, they suffered three consecutive defeats but bounced back strongly by winning every subsequent game to lift their maiden NPL title.

For Sudurpaschim Royals, the defeat meant heartbreak for the second consecutive final. They had finished runners-up in the inaugural edition after losing to Janakpur Bolts and once again fell short at the final hurdle.