By Sachit Subba • Cricket • Apr 01, 2026 14:33 PM • 38 views
LUMBINI, NEPAL – Near the Maya Devi Temple, birthplace of the Buddha and a symbol of peace, Lumbini Province secured a hard-fought Super Over win against the powerful APF Club.
The PM Cup match started as a low-scoring contest before turning into a tense thriller, ending in a tie-breaker with Lumbini just one run short. Santosh Yadav stood out, dismantling the APF lineup at key moments.
The Super Over Showdown
Both teams scored 124, heightening tension. Lumbini batted first in the tie-breaker, scoring 14 despite losing opener Akash Tripathi for zero. Yadav added 8 runs quickly.
Defending 15 runs, Yadav then bowled. He dismissed captain Rohit Paudel for one and then limited Lokesh Bam and Sundeep Jora to a combined five runs. APF closed with 6 runs for 1 wicket.
The Collapse and the Comeback
Despite several national players, APF struggled and were all out for 124 in under 40 overs. Abhishek Gautam, batting in the lower order, top-scored with 28. For Lumbini, Ajay Chauhan took 4 wickets for 14 runs.
Lumbini’s chase looked easy with Captain Dev Khanal (45) and Akash Tripathi (32) at the crease. Then, they lost their last nine wickets for only 50 runs and struggled to finish.
Shifting the Table
This win moves Lumbini to fifth with five points. APF, usually strong, drops to sixth.
Lumbini showed determination and resilience, overcoming tough challenges to win.
