Janakpur Bolts continued their winning streak in the Nepal Premier League (NPL) with a commanding 7-wicket victory over Pokhara Avengers at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Kathmandu, on Thursday, December 5.  

Delivering a dominant performance with both bat and ball, the Bolts restricted the Avengers to 138 runs and chased the target with seven wickets in hand, securing their spot at the top of the table with six points.  

Despite the early loss of opener Anil Sah (1 off 3) in the second over, Aasif Sheikh steadied the innings with 33 runs off 34 balls. Lahiru Milantha, who joined Sheikh after Sah’s dismissal, powered the chase with an impressive 45 off 32 balls, featuring eight boundaries. The finishing touch came from Kiwi all-rounder James Neesham, who smashed five sixes in a blistering 40 off 20 balls to seal the win in style. 

The Avengers’ bowlers struggled to contain the Bolts, with all going for runs except Michael Leask, who took a wicket while conceding just 17 runs in his four overs. Bipin Khatri was economical but bowled only a single over.  

Earlier, the Avengers managed 138 runs, with Marcus Critchley scoring 35 off 30 balls and Michael Leask contributing a quickfire 25 off 13, including three sixes. However, their innings faltered under a disciplined bowling attack by the Bolts.  

Lalit Rajbanshi led the charge with figures of 4-0-31-3, while James Neesham and Kishore Mahato picked up two and one wickets, respectively. Mohammad Mohsin was particularly economical, conceding just 17 runs in his four overs.  

Neesham was declared the player of the match for his all-round performance.

The result marks the second consecutive defeat for Pokhara Avengers.