Police Club Clinches PM Cup title: Victory Over Army

Nepal Police Club secured their third Prime Minister Men’s National Cricket Tournament trophy by defeating Tribhuvan Army Club with a convincing six-wicket win at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Saturday.

The victory not only adds another feather to Police’s cap but also maintains their flawless record throughout the one-day tournament this season. The Police team, known for its cricket prowess, has consistently performed exceptionally well in recent editions of the national tournament.

Tribhuvan Army Club, despite reaching the final in every season since the tournament’s inception in 2017, has tasted success only twice—in the 2017 and 2021 editions. Notably, the inaugural season saw both Army and Police sharing the trophy after the final produced no result.

The two departmental rivals had previously clashed in the 2019 title match, with Police securing a win by four wickets. The dominance of these departmental teams, including Armed Police Force Club, has been a recurring theme in the tournament, with APF claiming titles in 2018 and 2022.

However, the defending champions, Armed Police Force Club, faced an unexpected setback this season, finishing behind Bagmati Province and Madhesh Province, failing to qualify for the Men’s Elite Trophy.

The 2024 season saw a change in format, with the top two teams advancing to the final and the top four securing a spot in the Elite Trophy. This alteration deviated from previous editions where teams competed in two groups, with the top two from each group progressing to the semi-finals.

In the final showdown at Kirtipur, Tribhuvan Army Club aimed to avenge their defeat in the 2019 final. Despite their efforts, they fell short against a formidable Police side, primarily due to the exceptional performance of Lalit Rajbanshi, who claimed the player-of-the-match title with figures of 3-21.

Rajbanshi rattled the top order of Army, removing key players within the first seven overs. Despite a late fightback by half-centurian Bibek Yadav (63 runs) and Sompal Kami (39 runs), Army managed to post a total of 181 all out.

In response, Police faced a shaky start but successfully chased down the target with a solid performance from Shankar Rana (62 runs) and Aarif Sheikh (27 runs), guiding Police to victory with six wickets in hand.

Bagmati Province’s Surya Tamang was awarded the player of the series and best bowler for his outstanding performance, claiming 30 wickets in nine games. Anil Kumar Sah of Madhesh received the best batter award, scoring 385 runs in nine games, while Bagmati’s Ashutosh Ghiraiya was named the emerging player for his contribution of 382 runs.