Airee’s 51 Stars as Sudurpaschim Beat Pokhara by 6 Wickets

The captain finished the job himself. Dipendra Singh Airee hit an unbeaten 51 off 36 balls and took one wicket for 21 runs as Sudurpaschim Royals beat Pokhara Avengers by six wickets at TU Ground, Kirtipur, on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, chasing 146 with 19 balls to spare. Pokhara’s 145 for 7 never looked enough once Airee got going, and the Royals’ captain hit the winning runs off the opposing captain’s bowling to close out the only match of the day. It was Sudurpaschim’s first win of Season 3 — and a third straight win in this fixture.

Pokhara’s 145 never looked enough

Pokhara batted first and managed 145 for 7 in 20 overs — a total that asked their bowlers to be perfect and got nothing close to it. Captain Kushal Bhurtel made 21 off 17 balls, and Shakib Al Hasan, playing for Pokhara, scored 14 off 16 balls and took one wicket for 24 runs. It was a modest batting effort from a side that finished fifth last season and seventh the season before, and against a Sudurpaschim side chasing its first win, 145 was always going to be tested.

Airee finishes it himself

Sudurpaschim’s chase was controlled from the start and finished in 16.5 overs at 148 for 4. Airee’s unbeaten 51 off 36 balls was the innings of the match — composed and finished in style. The final over was bowled by Bhurtel himself, captaining from the front, and Airee reached his fifty and hit the winning runs off his opposite number’s bowling.

Airee also took one wicket for 21 runs with the ball, completing the all-round performance that won him Player of the Match. Nineteen balls were still unused when the winning runs came, and the six-wicket margin flattered Pokhara more than it flattered the chase.

Sudurpaschim own this fixture

Sudurpaschim have now won all three meetings between these sides. In Season 1, their 153 for 7 was enough for a five-run win on 15 December 2024. In Season 2, they posted 193 for 7 and won by 18 runs on 21 November 2025, with Pokhara falling short at 175 for 8. Match 4 made it three in a row, and the pattern is becoming a habit.

Pokhara came into this match hoping that Shakib Al Hasan, with them for the full season, would help turn the fixture around. Instead, the fixture turned the same way it always does — and Pokhara remain the only team in the league never to have reached the playoffs.

What it means for both sides

Sudurpaschim bounced back from their opening-match hammering by Lumbini to bank their first two points, and they did it behind their captain’s best all-round game of the season so far. Airee’s form is the Royals’ engine: when he fires, the two-time runners-up look like contenders again.

Pokhara, meanwhile, are still winless and still searching for the formula that takes them past the league stage for the first time. Their next chance comes against Janakpur Bolts on 1 November at 5:00 PM NST, while Sudurpaschim face Biratnagar Kings in Saturday’s evening game on 31 October at 5:00 PM NST, both at Kirtipur.