T20-LEAGUE

JAB vs POA NPL 2026: Trit Raj Das 61, Janakpur Win by 9 Runs

Published on November 1, 2026

Summary Overview: Janakpur Bolts beat Pokhara Avengers by 9 runs in the NPL 2026 at Kirtipur, the first full game after two rain-hit matches. Player of the Match Trit Raj Das made 61, and Moeen Ali took 3 for 13 to defend 147. Shakib Al Hasan's 3 for 15 was in vain.

Who won? Janakpur Bolts, by 9 runs at the TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. They made 147 for 7, and Pokhara Avengers finished on 138 for 9.

Who starred? Trit Raj Das, Janakpur's Rs. 15 lakh auction buy, made 61 off 55 balls and was named Player of the Match. Moeen Ali took 3 for 13 in four overs, and captain Harmeet Singh took 2 for 20.

What about Pokhara? Shakib Al Hasan took 3 for 15, and captain Kushal Bhurtel made 35 off 24, but Pokhara lost five wickets for 34 runs in the middle overs.

What happened with the rain? Saturday's Chitwan Rhinos vs Lumbini Lions game was abandoned without a ball bowled, and Biratnagar Kings vs Sudurpaschim Royals was cut to 5 overs a side. Sunday's game was the first full 20-over match since.

The Rain-Hit Weekend

The NPL weekend started badly at Kirtipur.

Match	Fixture	Result
7th Match (Sat, Oct 31)	Chitwan Rhinos vs Lumbini Lions	Abandoned due to rain, without a toss
8th Match (Sat, Oct 31)	Biratnagar Kings 105/2 (5) vs Sudurpaschim Royals 70/3 (5)	Biratnagar Kings won by 35 runs (5 overs a side due to a wet outfield)

Chitwan and Lumbini each get a point from the abandoned match. In the shortened game, Biratnagar Kings smashed 105 for 2 in just five overs, more than 20 runs an over, and Sudurpaschim could only reply with 70 for 3.

Match Report: Janakpur Bolts vs Pokhara Avengers

For readers new to cricket: in a T20 match, each team bats for up to 20 overs (an over is six legal deliveries). A team wins by runs when it bats first and the other side cannot reach its total.

Janakpur's Innings: Trit Raj Das Anchors, Shakib Strikes

Moeen Ali (21 off 16) and Trit Raj Das opened with 47, before Shakib Al Hasan bowled Moeen. Shakib then bowled Bangladesh's Saif Hassan for 1 and had captain Harmeet Singh caught, and Janakpur were 79 for 3 in the 13th over.

Das held the innings together, hitting seven fours and two sixes in 61 off 55 balls before Mahedi Hasan removed him at 117 for 5. Abhishek Tiwari then provided the finish, hitting two sixes in 24 not out off 10, adding 28 off 15 with James Neesham (11). Janakpur reached 147 for 7.

Shakib's 4 overs for 15 runs and 3 wickets were the standout figures of the innings.

Pokhara's Chase: Moeen Turns the Game

Moeen struck twice early, having Mahedi Hasan caught and Dinesh Kharel stumped, but captain Kushal Bhurtel kept Pokhara on track with 35 off 24. At 53 for 2 in the seventh over, the chase was well placed.

Then Janakpur's spinners took over. Lalit Rajbanshi removed Bhurtel, Saif Hassan removed Arjun Gharti and Shakib, Harmeet trapped Kiran Thagunna lbw, and Moeen bowled Mohammad Saifuddin for 0. Pokhara had lost five wickets for 34 runs and were 87 for 7.

Bipin Acharya (20) and Bipin Khatri (17 not out) fought to the end, but Neesham removed Acharya, and Pokhara finished 9 runs short.

Turning Point: Pokhara's Middle-Overs Collapse

At 53 for 2, needing 95 from 81 balls, Pokhara were in control with Shakib, Karunaratne and Saifuddin still to come. Janakpur's spin attack of Moeen, Harmeet and Rajbanshi took six wickets between them and conceded just 59 runs from 12 overs, and the chase never recovered.

Stat Corner

Top Performers

Player	Team	Performance
Trit Raj Das	Janakpur Bolts	61 (55), 7 fours, 2 sixes, Player of the Match
Moeen Ali	Janakpur Bolts	3 for 13 (4 overs, 1 maiden), and 21 (16)
Harmeet Singh (c)	Janakpur Bolts	2 for 20 (4 overs)
Saif Hassan	Janakpur Bolts	2 for 36 (4 overs)
Abhishek Tiwari	Janakpur Bolts	24* (10), 2 sixes
Shakib Al Hasan	Pokhara Avengers	3 for 15 (4 overs)
Kushal Bhurtel (c)	Pokhara Avengers	35 (24), 5 fours
Chamika Karunaratne	Pokhara Avengers	2 for 23 (3 overs)

* not out

How the Game Turned

Moment	Score
Moeen and Das opening stand	47 for the 1st wicket
Shakib's three wickets	Janakpur 47 for 0 to 79 for 3
Janakpur total	147 for 7 (20 overs)
Moeen's early strikes	Pokhara 25 for 2 (4 overs)
Pokhara well placed	53 for 2 (6.3 overs)
Five wickets for 34 runs	53 for 2 to 87 for 7
Pokhara finish	138 for 9 (20 overs)

Powerplay Comparison

Team	First 6 overs
Janakpur Bolts	45 for 0
Pokhara Avengers	51 for 2

Playing XIs

Team	Playing XI
Janakpur Bolts	Moeen Ali, Trit Raj Das, Saif Hassan, Harmeet Singh (c), Anil Sah (wk), James Neesham, Abhishek Tiwari, Amar Singh Rautela, Mayan Yadav, Lalit Rajbanshi, Rahul Yadav
Pokhara Avengers	Dinesh Kharel, Mahedi Hasan, Kushal Bhurtel (c), Shakib Al Hasan, Arjun Gharti (wk), Kiran Thagunna, Mohammad Saifuddin, Chamika Karunaratne, Bipin Acharya, Bipin Khatri, Pratik Pokharel

Overseas players: Janakpur fielded Moeen Ali, Saif Hassan, Harmeet Singh and James Neesham. Pokhara fielded Mahedi Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin and Chamika Karunaratne.

What's Next

Match	Date	Fixture	Nepal (NPT)	UTC	IST	ET
12th Match	Tue, Nov 3	Biratnagar Kings vs Janakpur Bolts	12:30 PM	06:45	12:15 PM	1:45 AM
13th Match	Tue, Nov 3	Lumbini Lions vs Pokhara Avengers	5:00 PM	11:15	4:45 PM	6:15 AM

All matches at the TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. NPT is Nepal Time (UTC+5:45). IST is India Standard Time (UTC+5:30). ET is US Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5). In Pakistan, 12:30 PM games start at 11:45 AM and 5:00 PM games at 4:15 PM.