Plenty of positives for Chitwan Rhinos despite Rohit Paudel's all-round brilliance

Dhakal's powerplay show

Going into this match against the Lumbini Lions, Chitwan Rhinos were already the best bowling team in the powerplay in the Nepal Premier League (NPL) 2014, and they showed why as Rijan Dhakal picked up two quick wickets in the phase to put his side on top.

Also Read: Rijan Dhakal's emergence, a massive boost for Chitwan Rhinos & Nepal

Dhakal, who finished with 2/4 in the powerplay, now has the joint-most wickets in the phase with six scalps, joining Brandon McMullen and Sohail Tanvir.

Tanvir's downfall?

Sohail Tanvir started off the tournament well, picking up eight wickets in the first two games. However, the Pakistan pacer has fallen off the radar in the next three matches, managing just one more wicket. 

That has really affected the Rhinos, as they have managed to win just one of their last three matches, and with that, their chances of making the playoffs have taken a minor blip.

Benkenstein shows promise

Luc Benkenstein came into the side in place of Hassan Eisakhil, who had scored a fifty in the previous game. 

At 16/2, the Rhinos were in a precarious position in pursuit of 168. However, Benkenstein, who batted at four in this game, played some delightful strokes through the covers and third man, largely to give the Rhinos hope. He scored 31 off 29, which was perhaps the only positive for his side with the bat.

Nar Sarki's cameo

The 18-year-old pacer Nar Sarki conceded 18 off his two overs, but he came in at 10 and smashed an unbeaten 22 off just 12 deliveries to reduce the margin of the loss. The Rhinos scored 16 off the final over bowled by Bibek Yadav. Sarki hit 13 of those, including a four and a six. Not a bad effort on his NPL debut.

The Rohit Paudel show

It was a one-man show at the TU Cricket Ground, as Rohit Paudel first smashed 80 off 57, which included a 114-run stand with Saad Bin Zafar (52). 

If that was not enough, Paudel also brought himself on to bowl in the second over of the chase and walked away with 4/17 in the end, making it the best all-round performance in the NPL.

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