Karnali Yaks vs Sudurpaschim Royals Result: Sudurpaschim Beat Karnali by 39 Runs at Kirtipur
Published on November 6, 2026
Summary Overview: Sudurpaschim Royals beat Karnali Yaks by 39 runs in NPL 2026 at Kirtipur. David Miller, playing his first game for Karnali, smashed 93 not out off 55 with seven sixes and was Player of the Match, but Sudurpaschim's 176 for 6, led by Saif Zaib's 35, was too much.
Who won? Sudurpaschim Royals, by 39 runs at the TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. They made 176 for 6, and Karnali Yaks finished on 137 for 7.
Who starred? South Africa's David Miller, playing his first game for Karnali, smashed 93 not out off 55 balls, with five fours and seven sixes, and was named Player of the Match despite being on the losing side.
Why did Karnali lose? They collapsed to 49 for 5 in the 10th over. Miller made 93 of Karnali's 137 runs, and the rest of the team scored just 44 between them.
Who starred for Sudurpaschim? Openers Saif Zaib (35 off 24) and Binod Bhandari (27) put on 67, and every batter chipped in. Captain Dipendra Singh Airee took 1 for 16 in four tight overs.
Match Report: Miller's Lone Battle
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. The Player of the Match award usually goes to someone on the winning side, so winning it in defeat shows just how special Miller's innings was.
Sudurpaschim's Innings: A Team Effort
Karnali captain Sompal Kami won the toss and chose to bowl, but Sudurpaschim's openers raced away. Saif Zaib and Binod Bhandari made 63 without loss in the powerplay and added 67 off 45 balls before Bhandari was run out.
Surya Tamang bowled Zaib for 35 off 24, and Scotland's Mark Watt slowed things down, having Airee stumped and Ishan Pandey caught by Miller to finish with 2 for 27. Pandey had already hit three sixes in 23 off 13, and Brandon McMullen made 24 off 16.
Sri Lanka's Tharindu Ratnayake (22 not out off 12) and Scott Kuggeleijn (13 not out off 6) finished strongly, and Sudurpaschim posted 176 for 6. Kami's three overs cost 44 runs.
Karnali's Chase: Miller Against the Rest
Kuggeleijn had Ariful Islam caught with the second ball, and Hemant Dhami and Anil Kharel removed Mark Watt and Deepak Dumre (18 off 12). Karnali made 35 for 3 in the powerplay.
Ratnayake bowled Pawan Sarraf, and Airee trapped Hussain Talat lbw, leaving Karnali 49 for 5 in the 10th over and needing almost 13 an over.
David Miller kept swinging. He and Kami added 36, though Kami made just 8 off 17, and Miller finished with a flurry, scoring 26 off 8 balls in an unbroken stand of 31 with Nandan Yadav. He ended on 93 not out off 55, with seven sixes, but Karnali were 39 runs short.
Turning Point: Karnali's Top-Order Collapse
Sudurpaschim's bowlers took five wickets in the first 10 overs, conceding just 49 runs. Airee (1 for 16), Ratnayake (1 for 18), Dhami (1 for 14) and Kharel (1 for 9) all went at under 5 an over. Miller's late hitting cut the margin, but by the time he got going, the target was out of reach.
Stat Corner
Top Performers
| Player | Team | Performance |
| David Miller | Karnali Yaks | 93* (55), 5 fours, 7 sixes, plus a catch, Player of the Match |
| Mark Watt | Karnali Yaks | 2 for 27 (4 overs) |
| Hussain Talat | Karnali Yaks | 1 for 13 (3 overs) |
| Saif Zaib | Sudurpaschim Royals | 35 (24), 4 fours, 1 six |
| Binod Bhandari (wk) | Sudurpaschim Royals | 27 (22), 2 sixes |
| Ishan Pandey | Sudurpaschim Royals | 23 (13), 3 sixes |
| Tharindu Ratnayake | Sudurpaschim Royals | 22* (12), and 1 for 18 (4 overs) |
| Dipendra Singh Airee (c) | Sudurpaschim Royals | 1 for 16 (4 overs) |
| Scott Kuggeleijn | Sudurpaschim Royals | 2 for 39 (4 overs), and 13* (6) |
* not out
How the Game Turned
| Moment | Score |
| Sudurpaschim's fast start | 63 for 0 (6 overs) |
| Zaib and Bhandari stand | 67 off 45 balls for the 1st wicket |
| Sudurpaschim total | 176 for 6 (20 overs) |
| Ariful out second ball | Karnali 0 for 1 |
| Karnali's powerplay | 35 for 3 (6 overs) |
| Karnali in trouble | 49 for 5 (9.5 overs) |
| Miller and Nandan Yadav finish | 31* off 11 balls |
| Karnali finish | 137 for 7, 39 runs short |
Powerplay Comparison
| Team | First 6 overs |
| Sudurpaschim Royals | 63 for 0 |
| Karnali Yaks | 35 for 3 |
Miller vs the Rest
| Runs | Balls | |
| David Miller | 93 | 55 |
| Rest of Karnali's batters | 44 | 65 |
Karnali's innings had no extras.
Playing XIs
| Team | Playing XI |
| Karnali Yaks | Ariful Islam, Pawan Sarraf, Hussain Talat, Deepak Dumre (wk), David Miller, Mark Watt, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami (c), Nandan Yadav, Surya Tamang, Unish Bikram Thakuri |
| Sudurpaschim Royals | Binod Bhandari (wk), Saif Zaib, Aarif Sheikh, Brandon McMullen, Dipendra Singh Airee (c), Ishan Pandey, Anil Kharel, Scott Kuggeleijn, Tharindu Ratnayake, Hemant Dhami, Abinash Bohara |
Changes: Karnali brought in David Miller and Surya Tamang for Jishan Alam and Yuvraj Khatri. Sudurpaschim brought in Tharindu Ratnayake for Sherfane Rutherford.
What's Next
| Match | Date | Fixture | Nepal (NPT) | UTC | IST | PKT | ET |
| 17th Match | Fri, Nov 6 | Chitwan Rhinos vs Pokhara Avengers | 5:00 PM | 11:15 | 4:45 PM | 4:15 PM | 6:15 AM |
| 18th Match | Sat, Nov 7 | Kathmandu Gurkhas vs Lumbini Lions | 5:00 PM | 11:15 | 4:45 PM | 4:15 PM | 6:15 AM |
| 19th Match | Mon, Nov 9 | Pokhara Avengers vs Karnali Yaks | 12:30 PM | 06:45 | 12:15 PM | 11:45 AM | 1:45 AM |
| 21st Match | Tue, Nov 10 | Sudurpaschim Royals vs Janakpur Bolts | 5:00 PM | 11:15 | 4:45 PM | 4:15 PM | 6:15 AM |
All matches at the TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. NPT is Nepal Time (UTC+5:45). ET is US Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Karnali Yaks vs Sudurpaschim Royals?
- Sudurpaschim Royals, by 39 runs.
How many did David Miller score?
- 93 not out off 55 balls, with five fours and seven sixes, in his first game for Karnali Yaks.
Who was Player of the Match?
- David Miller, even though Karnali lost.
Who top-scored for Sudurpaschim?
- Saif Zaib, with 35 off 24 balls.
When do Karnali Yaks play next?
- Monday, November 9, against Pokhara Avengers at 12:30 PM Nepal time.
Related Guides and Series Coverage
📋 Chitwan Rhinos vs Sudurpaschim Royals, NPL 2026: McMullen's 43 Off 21 Powers Sudurpaschim to Victory
📋 Karnali Yaks vs Kathmandu Gurkhas, NPL 2026: Captain Karan KC Leads Kathmandu to Their First Win
📋 Karnali Yaks Squad and Schedule for NPL 2026
📋 Sudurpaschim Royals Squad and Schedule for NPL 2026
📋 Nepal Premier League 2026 Schedule: Full NPL Season 3 Fixtures, Teams and Match Times