KATHMANDU: At the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Thursday, Karnali Yaks set a modest aim of 119 runs against Janakpur Bolts in the Nepal Premier League's second qualifier. Karnali batted first after losing the toss, but Janakpur's bowlers immediately challenged him.

Early on, the Yaks' opening duo struggled, as Jaykishan Kolsawala was removed for just one run in the opening over. The second opener, Dev Khanal, put up a fight with a fast 24 off 20 balls that included three boundaries and a six. However, Karnali was under pressure at 39-2 when James Neesham dismissed him in the fifth over.

Zeeshan Maqsood (12) and William Bosisto (14) were fired after making fleeting contributions, demonstrating the middle order's difficulty forming partnerships. Karnali was teetering at 64-4 by the 12th over after Chadwick Walton added 11 off 13 balls before leaving. By the fifteenth over, the side had fallen to 77-6 as Arjun Gharti (2) and Sompal Kami (5) were cheaply removed.

Unish Thakuri's 12 and Gulsan Jha's heroic 25 late in the innings attempted to steady the Yaks. However, aspirations for a competitive total were essentially dashed when Jha was dismissed in the sixteenth over. By the end of their innings, Karnali had reached 118-9, but they were unable to form any meaningful partnerships.

The bowlers for Janakpur were outstanding, applying pressure all through the innings. Harsh Thaker took one wicket and gave up just 13 runs in four overs, demonstrating his economy. Mohammad Mohsin (2-14) and Lalit Rajbanshi (2-22) made significant advances, and Neesham (2-30) and Sher Malla (1-4) also made valuable contributions.

The victor of this game will play the Sudurpaschim Royals in the Saturday final. Janakpur is well-positioned to guarantee a spot in the championship final thanks to their outstanding bowling performance.