Kathmandu: Last edition’s runners-up Sudurpaschim Royals staged a spirited recovery from a disastrous start to set a competitive 148-run target against Kathmandu Gorkhas in their opening match of the Nepal Premier League T20 at the TU Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur on Wednesday.

Walking in at number eight, India-born US international Harmeet Singh produced a stunning rescue act, hammering a 20-ball 53 adorned with two boundaries and six sixes. His explosive cameo breathed life into the Royals’ innings. Skipper Dipendra Singh Airee, anchoring the middle order, chipped in with an impactful 39 off 30 deliveries, striking three fours and a six.

The pair stitched a crucial 61-run partnership for the seventh wicket, steadying the innings at a moment of crisis. Airee eventually fell to Rashid Khan, caught by Aadil Alam while Harmeet’s fiery knock ended when he was held by Shahab Alam off Sunny Patel as the ninth wicket to fall.

Earlier, put into bat, Sudurpaschim endured a horror start as Kathmandu captain Karan KC wreaked havoc with the new ball, removing openers Josh Brown and Binod Bhandari for ducks in the very first over. The collapse deepened when Chris Lynn, too, departed cheaply for two, caught by Milind Kumar off a fired-up KC.

Ishan Pandey, Aarif Sheikh and Naren Saud also departed in quick succession, leaving the Royals teetering at 72-6 before Airee and Harmeet orchestrated a determined fightback.

Aarif Sheikh made a steady contribution of 25 off 24 balls, while Ishan Pandey chipped in with 11— the only other batter to reach double figures as they were bowled out for 147 runs in the last delivery of the innings.

For Kathmandu, captain Karan KC delivered a standout bowling performance finishing with impressive figures of 4-30 from his four overs. Milind Kumar, Sunny Patel and Rashid Khan picked up two wickets apiece to keep Sudurpaschim in check.