Spinners rule in Birgunj as Lumbini clinch Super Over thriller against APF

By Cricketing Country | Posted Posted Apr 01, 2026

Lumbini Province edged past Armed Police Force Club in a tense Super Over finish in Birgunj, condemning APF to their third defeat of the PM Cup and a second successive loss against a provincial side.

On a surface that heavily favoured spin, both sides struggled to break free, eventually finishing tied at 124 before Lumbini held their nerve in the one-over eliminator.

Asked to bat first, APF never quite got going and were bowled out for 124 in 39.4 overs. Left-arm spin proved decisive, accounting for the bulk of the damage. Ajay Chauhan was the standout with 4 for 14 in his six overs, while Santosh Yadav (3 for 26) and Nirmal Gurung (2 for 25) provided strong support. Sandesh Thapa chipped in with one wicket.

APF’s innings was rescued to an extent by Abhishesh Gautam, who top-scored with a counterattacking 28 from No. 9, hitting four boundaries and a six. Dipak Bohara (20), Sundeep Jora (17), Lokesh Bam (15) and Asif Sheikh (15) all got starts but couldn’t convert them into significant contributions.

In reply, Lumbini’s chase mirrored APF’s struggles against spin. Captain Dev Khanal led from the front with a patient 45 off 64 balls, striking five boundaries, while Aakash Tripathi added a handy 32. However, wickets at regular intervals kept the contest finely balanced.

With Lumbini closing in, Abhishesh Gautam struck twice in quick succession to bowl them out for 124 in 34 overs, forcing the match into a Super Over.

The spin dominance continued as all ten Lumbini wickets in the chase fell to spin bowlers. Rohit Paudel (3 for 28), Abhishesh Gautam (2 for 35), Yuvraj Khatri (2 for 31) and Bhuwan Karki (2 for 19) shared the spoils in a collective effort.

In the Super Over, Lumbini recovered from an early setback when Aakash Tripathi fell on the third ball. Santosh Yadav then swung the momentum with a six off the next delivery and benefitted from a costly error behind the stumps, as a missed take off the final ball resulted in a boundary via byes, lifting Lumbini to 14.

APF faltered under pressure in response, managing just six runs. Santosh Yadav capped off a fine all-round performance by picking up a wicket in the over, sealing second win for Lumbini in the competition.