Chitwan Rhinos hammered Pokhara Avengers by 87 runs to secure a second consecutive victory in the Nepal Premier League. Rijan Dhakal was declared the Player of the Match for the unbelievable T20 figures 3/10. Rijan Dhakal (born 6 May 1999) is a Nepalese cricketer who plays as a left arm medium. He has played in different leagues including NepalT20 for different teams like Biratnagar Super Kings & Lalitpur Patriots.
Rijan Dhakal had a superb season in the NPL, picking up 13 wickets at an economy of 8.04. Especially in the powerplay, Dhakal took his game to another level, picking up nine wickets in the phase - the joint-most in the tournament at the time of writing this. In the Rhinos’ standout win over Pokhara, the left-arm pace duo of Rijan Dhakal and Sohail Tanvir became the talk of the town, and Dhakal trapped three batters leg before wicket in the 4th over to leave Avengers at 7/6. However, he could not step up in the crucial tie against the Karnali Yaks in the Eliminator, where he conceded 44 runs in his four overs.
Discussion
- Given his 13 wickets at an economy of 8.04 in NPL 2024, can Dhakal replicate or improve that output in NPL Season 2?
- How valuable will Dhakal’s powerplay success (nine wickets in the phase) be to Chitwan Rhinos’ plans this season?
- Will the left-arm variation that made Dhakal stand out force Nepal team selectors to consider him more regularly?
- How should the Rhinos manage Dhakal alongside senior pacers like Sohail Tanvir to maximise the new-ball threat?
- After the Eliminator where he conceded 44, what adjustments would you like to see from Dhakal in pressure matches?
Keep the discussion factual, respectful, and cricket-focused.