Andries Gous scored the first century of the Nepal Premier League T20 cricket tournament to lead Pokhara Avengers to a resounding 10-wicket victory over Lumbini Lions at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Friday.

Gous remained unbeaten on a blistering 104, while his opening partner Dinesh Kharel played the perfect foil blasting 61 not out to help Pokhara pull off an impressive run chase of 171 with 19 balls to spare.

The United States wicketkeeper batter cracked 12 boundaries and five sixes in his superb 55-ball knock, while Kharel hit four fours and four sixes facing 46 deliveries.

Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Lumbini racked up 170-5 from their 20 overs, largely thanks to a captain's knock from Rohit Paudel, who fell just short of a century with a composed 95 off 59 deliveries, including seven boundaries and four sixes.

Tom Moores chipped in with 45 off 38 to provide crucial support.

It is the second time Lumbini, who remain without a win after two matches, have failed to defend a huge total.

They had lost to Biratnagar Kings by two wickets in a high-scoring thriller on Wednesday, after failing to defend a 192-run target.

Karnali win nail-biting thriller

Earlier at the same venue, Karnali Yaks claimed their first victory of the tournament with a thrilling six-wicket win over Chitwan Rhinos.

Opting to field first, Karnali restricted Chitwan Rhinos to 130-7, thanks to a sensational spell from 16-year-old spinner Bipin Sharma, who took 3-21 to dismantle Chitwan’s lower order.

Chitwan’s innings got off to a poor start as openers Luc Benkenstein (0) and Deepak Bohara (8) departed cheaply.

Zeeshan Maqsood (2-22) then struck to remove Bipin Rawal, leaving Chitwan reeling at 22-3 after 5.1 overs.

All-rounder Ravi Bopara led the recovery, crafting an unbeaten 59 off 40 balls with seven boundaries and a six. He added 62 runs with skipper Kushal Malla to steady the ship before Maqsood broke the momentum removing Malla for 28.

Bopara continued to resist Karnali’s bowling attack but Sharma returned to clean up the tail, claiming the wickets of Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton (9) and Sohail Tanvir (0) in the 17th over and Amar Routela (9) in his next over.

In reply, Karnali started cautiously with Dhawan and Dev Khanal putting on a 53-run opening stand in the first 10 overs.

Kushal Malla provided Chitwan a breakthrough by dismissing Khanal, who played 25 off 34 balls.

Dhawan found support in Chadwick Walton as the duo added another fifty-run partnership to take Karnali steps away from the target.

But Chitwan clawed their way back into the contest after Loftie-Eaton caught and bowled Dhawan for 45 and Bopara trapped Walton for 30.

With 19 needed off the last three overs, the target looked close but Maqsood and Arjun Gharti struggled to deal with a tight bowling from Tanvir in the penultimate over, conceding just two runs.

Karnali still needed 10 off the final over but Maqsood kept his composure hitting a boundary off the second last ball to seal the win after Gharti had held his nerve to collect six off the first three balls.

Gharti played 10 runs off 11 balls while Maqsood was unbeaten on 12 off 15.