LUL vs POA NPL 2026: Lumbini Win by 8 Wkts, Pokhara All Out
Published on November 3, 2026
Summary Overview: Lumbini Lions beat Pokhara Avengers by 8 wickets with 50 balls to spare in NPL 2026 at Kirtipur. Player of the Match Ruben Trumpelmann took 3 for 16 as Pokhara were held to 97 for 9, and captain Rohit Paudel hit 47 not out off 32. Lumbini stay unbeaten; Pokhara suffer back-to-back defeats.
Who won? Lumbini Lions, by 8 wickets with 50 balls to spare at the TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. Pokhara Avengers made 97 for 9, and Lumbini reached 98 for 2 in just 11.4 overs.
Who starred? Namibia's Ruben Trumpelmann took 3 for 16 in four overs, including a wicket with the second ball of the match, and was named Player of the Match. Captain Rohit Paudel hit 47 not out off 32 balls, and Niroshan Dickwella made 27 not out.
What went wrong for Pokhara? They were 15 for 3 in the fourth over and 31 for 5 in the ninth. Only Chamika Karunaratne (25) passed 15.
Where does it leave the teams? Lumbini are still unbeaten, with two wins and a no result from three games. Pokhara have now lost two games in a row.
Match Report: Lumbini in Total Control
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 wickets when it chases down the target; "8 wickets" means Lumbini lost only two.
Pokhara's Innings: Trumpelmann Sets the Tone
Lumbini captain Rohit Paudel won the toss and chose to bowl, and Ruben Trumpelmann bowled Arjun Kumal with the second ball of the match. He then had Sri Lanka's Sadeera Samarawickrama caught for 7, and Sher Malla caught and bowled Bipin Acharya. Pokhara were 15 for 3 and made just 23 in the powerplay.
Captain Kushal Bhurtel (14 off 20) never got going and was caught off Tilak Bhandari, and Rohit Paudel brought himself on for one over and removed Shakib Al Hasan for 3. At 31 for 5 in the ninth over, Pokhara were in deep trouble.
Mahedi Hasan (13 off 24) and Arjun Gharti (6 off 20) added 19 off 37 balls, but scoring was almost impossible against Lumbini's bowlers. Abhishesh Gautam bowled four overs for just 15 runs, including a maiden. Trumpelmann trapped Gharti lbw, and Bhandari removed Mahedi.
Chamika Karunaratne hit two sixes in 25 off 17 to lift the total, before Dickwella ran him out, and Pokhara finished on 97 for 9.
Lumbini's Chase: Paudel in a Hurry
Pokhara needed early wickets and got two. Aasif Sheikh was run out for 7, and D'Arcy Short hit a four and a six in 13 off 6 before Bipin Khatri had him caught. Lumbini were 21 for 2 in the second over.
That was as good as it got for Pokhara. Rohit Paudel and Niroshan Dickwella added an unbroken 77 off 58 balls. Paudel hit three fours and three sixes in 47 not out off 32, and Lumbini won in the 12th over.
Turning Point: The First Four Overs
Trumpelmann's first-over wicket, his second strike in the third over and Sher Malla's catch-and-bowl in the fourth left Pokhara 15 for 3. On a slow pitch where every Lumbini bowler went at 6 runs an over or less, Pokhara never recovered, and 97 was nowhere near enough.
Stat Corner
Top Performers
| Player | Team | Performance |
| Ruben Trumpelmann | Lumbini Lions | 3 for 16 (4 overs), plus a catch, Player of the Match |
| Rohit Paudel (c) | Lumbini Lions | 47* (32), 3 fours, 3 sixes, and 1 for 2 (1 over) |
| Tilak Bhandari | Lumbini Lions | 2 for 22 (4 overs) |
| Abhishesh Gautam | Lumbini Lions | 1 for 15 (4 overs, 1 maiden) |
| Niroshan Dickwella (wk) | Lumbini Lions | 27* (26), and a run-out |
| Chamika Karunaratne | Pokhara Avengers | 25 (17), 2 sixes |
| Kushal Bhurtel (c) | Pokhara Avengers | 14 (20) |
| Shakib Al Hasan | Pokhara Avengers | 0 for 6 (2 overs), and 3 (8) |
* not out
How the Game Turned
| Moment | Score |
| Trumpelmann's first strike | Pokhara 0 for 1 (0.2 overs) |
| Pokhara's powerplay | 23 for 3 (6 overs) |
| Pokhara in trouble | 31 for 5 (8.3 overs) |
| Pokhara total | 97 for 9 (20 overs) |
| Lumbini's early wickets | 21 for 2 (2 overs) |
| Paudel and Dickwella stand | 77* off 58 balls for the 3rd wicket |
| Lumbini win | 98 for 2 (11.4 overs) |
Powerplay Comparison
| Team | First 6 overs |
| Pokhara Avengers | 23 for 3 |
| Lumbini Lions | 43 for 2 |
Playing XIs
| Team | Playing XI |
| Lumbini Lions | D'Arcy Short, Aasif Sheikh, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Shamim Hossain, Rohit Paudel (c), Tilak Bhandari, Sundeep Jora, Abhishesh Gautam, Ruben Trumpelmann, Kishor Mahato, Sher Malla |
| Pokhara Avengers | Mahedi Hasan, Kushal Bhurtel (c), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Shakib Al Hasan, Arjun Gharti (wk), Kiran Thagunna, Arjun Kumal, Chamika Karunaratne, Bipin Khatri, Bipin Acharya, Aakash Chand |
Changes: Pokhara brought in Sadeera Samarawickrama, Arjun Kumal and Aakash Chand for Dinesh Kharel, Mohammad Saifuddin and Pratik Pokharel.
What's Next
| Match | Date | Fixture | Nepal (NPT) | UTC | IST | PKT | ET |
| 14th Match | Thu, Nov 5 | Lumbini Lions vs Janakpur Bolts | 12:30 PM | 06:45 | 12:15 PM | 11:45 AM | 1:45 AM |
| 15th Match | Thu, Nov 5 | Kathmandu Gurkhas vs Biratnagar Kings | 5:00 PM | 11:15 | 4:45 PM | 4:15 PM | 6:15 AM |
| 17th Match | Fri, Nov 6 | Chitwan Rhinos vs Pokhara Avengers | 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 Lumbini Lions vs Pokhara Avengers?
- Lumbini Lions, by 8 wickets with 50 balls to spare.
Who was Player of the Match?
- Ruben Trumpelmann, for his 3 for 16.
How many did Pokhara Avengers score?
- 97 for 9 in 20 overs. Chamika Karunaratne top-scored with 25.
Who took the most wickets?
- Ruben Trumpelmann, with 3 for 16.
Are Lumbini Lions unbeaten?
- Yes. They have two wins and a no result (their rain-abandoned game against Chitwan Rhinos) from three matches.
When do Pokhara Avengers play next?
- Friday, November 6, against Chitwan Rhinos at 5:00 PM Nepal time.
Related Guides and Series Coverage
📋 Lumbini Lions Squad and Schedule for NPL 2026
📋 Pokhara Avengers Squad and Schedule for NPL 2026
📋 Lumbini Lions vs Sudurpaschim Royals, NPL 2026: Lumbini Win the Opener by 7 Wickets
📋 Janakpur Bolts vs Pokhara Avengers, NPL 2026: Trit Raj Das and Moeen Ali Win It for Janakpur
📋 Biratnagar Kings vs Janakpur Bolts, NPL 2026: Andre Russell Wins It in the Last Over