KATHMANDU: At the Tribhuvan University Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur on Wednesday, the Nepal Premier League's sixth match saw Kathmandu Gurkhas defeat Karnali Yaks by an exciting three wickets. The Gurkhas won the toss and chose to bowl first, putting on a strong showing to earn their maiden tournament victory.

Under Sompal Kami's leadership, the Karnali Yaks amassed 149/5 in their 20 overs. The Yaks' most notable player was former Indian sensation Shikhar Dhawan, who led the innings with an undefeated 72 off 51 balls. Dhawan had to bear the batting load alone because his colleagues did not help him much, despite his strong knock. Gerhard Erasmus of Namibia took two vital wickets for the Gurkhas, demonstrating his effectiveness with the ball.

The top four batters of the Kathmandu Gurkhas, who were chasing 150, were out of the game after just eight overs. As the Yaks' bowling unit held them in check, the pressure increased, but the game was turned around by the bottom middle order. With a strong 38 off 28 balls, Erasmus made a substantial contribution and set the stage for a comeback.

With a cool knock of 40 not out from 37 balls, Sumit Maharjan became the Gurkhas' hero. The Gurkhas made it to the end thanks to his solid innings and captain Karan KC's spectacular cameo of 28 runs off of just 10 balls. With just three balls remaining, the victory was assured thanks to KC's aggressive batting in the closing moments.

This was the Yaks' second straight tournament defeat, which put them under early pressure in the league rankings. Although the club will need more teamwork to recover in subsequent games, Dhawan's outstanding batting form is still a good thing.

After a difficult first game, the Gurkhas celebrated their first win in the league. The victory gives them more self-assurance as they get ready for future tests, and their middle-order depth and skipper KC's leadership were evident in this match.