Kathmandu: Harmeet Singh delivered a superb all-round performance as Sudurpaschim Royals overcame an early batting scare to stun Kathmandu Gorkhas by 29 runs in their opening match of the Nepal Premier League T20 on Wednesday.

Sent in to bat, last edition’s runners-up were bowled out for 147 in 20 overs before they restricted the Karan KC-led Gorkhas for 118 in 16.5 overs at the TU Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur, handing them their first defeat in two matches.

Walking in at number eight with the Royals reeling at 72-6, India-born US international Harmeet Singh staged a remarkable fightback, smashing a 20-ball 53 studded with two fours and six towering sixes. He then shone with the ball as well, dismissing Gorkhas’ top scorer Aakash Tripathi and Adil Alam off successive deliveries in the 12th over.

Kathmandu captain Karan KC was the standout bowler with impressive figures of 4-30 from his four overs while Milind Kumar, Sunny Patel and Rashid Khan claimed two wickets each.

Chasing the target, Gorkhas’ top order faltered early losing Ben Charlesworth (8), Bhim Sharki (12) and Santosh Yadav (1) with only 39 runs on the board. Aakash Tripathi and John Simpson gave a brief resistance putting together a 49-run stand for the fourth wicket to lift the score to 88-4. But Simpson’s dismissal for 24 off 18—trapped leg-before by Ishan Pandey—sparked a dramatic collapse.

Gorkhas lost their final six wickets for just 30 runs. Aakash top-scored with 34 off 30 balls, hitting one boundary and two sixes, while Milind Kumar (11) and Sunny Patel (10) were the only others to reach double digits.

Along with Harmeet, Scott Kuggeleijn and Hemant Dhami also picked up two wickets each for the Royals.

Chitwan Rhinos will face Lumbini Lions in Thursday’s only fixture, scheduled for a 4:00 PM start.