Dawid Malan's 70 Helps Chitwan Rhinos Beat Biratnagar Kings by 8 Runs in NPL 2026 Match 2
Kamal Airee's 4 for 26 and Dawid Malan's 70 sealed Chitwan Rhinos' eight-run win over Biratnagar Kings in NPL 2026 Match 2 at Kirtipur.
Chitwan Rhinos beat Biratnagar Kings by eight runs in Match 2 of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) 2026 on Tuesday, Oct 27, at Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. Rhinos posted 157 for 3 in 20 overs; Kings were bowled out for 149 in 19.3 overs chasing 158. Seamer Kamal Airee took 4 for 26 and was named Player of the Match.
For US East Coast fans, this was the morning fixture: 12:30 PM Nepal / 2:45 AM EDT. Full season times and fixtures are in our NPL 2026 schedule cheat sheet.
Scorecard at a glance
| Score | |
|---|---|
| Chitwan Rhinos | 157/3 (20 overs) |
| Biratnagar Kings | 149 all out (19.3 overs) |
| Target | 158 |
| Result | Rhinos won by 8 runs |
| Player of the Match | Kamal Airee 4/26 |
Toss: Biratnagar captain Sandeep Lamichhane won the toss and chose to field.
Malan's 70 sets up 157 for 3
England batter Dawid Malan top-scored with 70 off 50 balls (five fours, five sixes). Captain Ravi Bopara finished 32 not out off 26, and Dan Mousley was 29 not out off 22 as Chitwan closed on 157 for 3.
Dev Khanal (12) and Arjun Saud (3) were the other wickets. For Biratnagar, Angelo Mathews (1 for 15), Charith Asalanka (1 for 18) and Andre Russell (1 for 39) shared the wickets; Lamichhane bowled four overs for 23 without a wicket.
Kings chase collapses late
Biratnagar started brightly. Lokesh Bam smashed 26 off 14 and Imran Sheikh made 39 off 31. After Sheikh fell at 87 for 3, Andre Russell injected late pace with 33 off 17 — four sixes and a four — sharing a fifth-wicket stand with Mathews. At 132 for 5 after 16 overs, Kings needed 26 from the last 24 balls.
Then Airee took over. He removed Basir Ahamad, Russell, Mathews (14) and Rupesh Singh, finishing with 4 for 26. Rijan Dhakal claimed two wickets in the 19th over as Biratnagar slid from 141 for 5 to 142 for 9. The last five wickets fell for 17 runs.
Shubham Ranjane made 10 before Tom Taylor bowled him at 19.3 overs to seal the eight-run win.
What it means for NPL 2026
The win gives Chitwan Rhinos a strong start to the campaign. Biratnagar Kings, stacked with Lamichhane, Russell, Mathews and Asalanka, open with a defeat after letting a gettable chase slip.
NPL 2026 runs through Nov 21 at Kirtipur. Match times for diaspora viewers: 2:45 AM and 7:15 AM EDT through Oct 31, then 1:45 AM and 6:15 AM EST from Nov 1. Follow @jurelimedia for match-day updates.
FAQ
Who won NPL 2026 Match 2? Chitwan Rhinos beat Biratnagar Kings by eight runs at Kirtipur on Oct 27, 2026.
What was the score? Rhinos 157/3 (20); Kings 149 (19.3), chasing 158.
Who was Player of the Match? Kamal Airee, with 4 for 26.
What time was the match in the US? 12:30 PM Nepal = 2:45 AM EDT on Oct 27.
Sources
- ESPN Cricinfo scorecard: Biratnagar Kings vs Chitwan Rhinos, NPL 2026 2nd Match (match 1558583)
- Cricnepal: Kamal Airee's four-for seals Chitwan's eight-run win (Oct 27, 2026, 21:58 NPT)
- Kathmandu Post: Chitwan Rhinos defeat Biratnagar Kings by eight runs (Oct 27, 2026)
Image credits
- Hero: TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur, by Godknowme1, CC BY-SA 4.0. Same licensed hero pattern as our NPL 2026 schedule article.
