# 2017 Everest Premier League

The 2017 Everest Premier League, also abbreviated as 2017 EPL, and branded as TVS EPL 2017, was the second edition of the Everest Premier League, a professional men's domestic Twenty20 cricket competition in Nepal. The tournament was scheduled to be held from 18 December 2017 to 30 December 2017. The tournament featured six teams and their names were based on the cities.
Biratnagar Warriors were undefeated throughout the tournament. They became champions after defeating Bhairahawa Gladiators by 1 run in the final. Babar Hayat became player of the series for scoring highest runs and hitting most sixes in the tournament. Rohit Kumar Paudel was awarded as most valuable player for finishing well in some matches for Bhairahawa Gladiators. Israrullah and Basant Regmi were leading wicket takers in the tournament with 12 wickets.

## Background

EPL Pvt Ltd announced the second season of the Everest Premier League on 30 July 2017 at Durbarmarg, Kathmandu. The founder of EPL, Aamir Akhtar disclosed the prize money of 2.1 million rupees to the winner of the tournament. He also announced that the name of the franchise teams will be based on the cities rather than the corporate houses. The logo of the tournament was also unveiled on the ceremony by the Nepalese national team captain, Paras Khadka and the head coach Jagat Tamatta.

## Player Auctions

Dipendra Singh Airee, Shakti Gauchan, Sompal Kami, Paras Khadka, Gyanendra Malla and Sharad Vesawkar were selected as marquee players by each teams before the auction. Each teams were allowed to spend Rs. 1 million. The auction was held on 23 October 2017 and 60 players(10 to each teams), categorized as A, B and C were sold to the franchisee. Binod Bhandari, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane and Aarif Sheikh were the expensive players in the auction with the highest bid of Rs.175,000.

## Teams

Each team consisted of 15 players. 10 players were bought by each teams through auction. A talent hunt was conducted by each teams in their respective cities to acquire a young player in their squad. Similarly, the teams also included at least three foreign players in their side.
| Bhairahawa Gladiators | Biratnagar Warriors | Chitwan Tigers | Kathmandu Kings XI | Lalitpur Patriots | Pokhara Rhinos |
| Sharad Vesawkar (c) Pradeep Airee Puneet Bisht Abhinash Bohara Bhuwan Karki Krishna Karki Prakash KC Puneet Mehra Rohit Paudel Harishankar Sah Pratham Salunke Aarif Sheikh Harjeet Singh Dipesh Shrestha Bhupendra Thapa Rahul Yadav | Paras Khadka (c) Sahan Adeesha Aakash Bista Ramnaresh Giri Babar Hayat Avinash Karn Dipesh Kandel Karan K.C. Pranit Thapa Magar Sumit Maharjan Anshuman Rath Basant Regmi Anil Sah Aasif Sheikh Puspa Thapa | Prithu Baskota (c) Dipendra Singh Airee Kamal Singh Airee Shahab Alam Lalit Bhandari Sunam Gautam Praveen Gupta Yogendra Singh Karki Shawej Khan Parmesh Kumar Anil Mandal Dilip Nath Bhim Sharki Sandeep Sunar Aakash Thapa | Farveez Maharoof (c) Bikram Bhusal Naresh Budhayer Akshu Fernando Sompal Kami Sushil Kandel Sagar Kumar Siddhant Lohani Jitendra Mukhiya Sagar Pun Raju Rijal Amar Singh Routela Samshad Sheikh Amit Shrestha Puran Vishwakarma Rahul Vishwakarma | Gyanendra Malla (c) Mehboob Alam Dipesh Bhandari Suboth Bhati Kushal Bhurtel Sumit Jha Sundeep Jora Rashaid Khan Jaykishan Kolsawala Sandeep Lamichhane Yogesh Nagar Sunny Patel Lalit Rajbanshi Shankar Rana Pawan Sarraf Rajbir Singh Sonu Tamang | Shakti Gauchan (c) Asif Ali Binod Bhandari Sushan Bhari Santosh Bhatta Sunil Dhamala Israrullah Saurabh Khanal Bipin Khatri Rajesh Pulami Magar Kishor Mahato Nurdhoj Sen Dev Shah Bikram Sob Taj Wali |
* Foreign players are listed in bold.
* Players selected from the talent hunt are listed in italics.

## Points table

| Team | M | W | L | T | NR | Points | NRR |
| Biratnagar Warriors | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1.235 |
| Bhairahawa Gladiators | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.208 |
| Lalitpur Patriots | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.128 |
| Pokhara Rhinos | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.062 |
| Kathmandu Kings XI | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | −0.682 |
| Chitwan Tigers | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | −0.998 |
* The four top ranked teams will qualify for the playoffs
* advanced to Qualifier 1
* advanced to the Eliminator
* Eliminated

## League matches
### Match 1

* 18 December 11:00 Scorecard
| Kathmandu Kings XI 89/10 (18.3 overs) | v | Lalitpur Patriots 90/3 (16.4 overs) |
| Amit Shrestha 27 (28) Suboth Bhati 4/15 (3.3 overs) | | Jaykishan Kolsawala 44 (48)* Akshu Fernando 2/19 (4 overs) |
* Patriots won by 7 wickets TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Durga Subedi and Ram Yadav Player of the match: Lalit Rajbanshi (Lalitpur Patriots)
* Lalitpur Patriots, elected to field first

### Match 2

* 19 December 09:00 Scorecard
| Chitwan Tigers 113/9 (20 overs) | v | Pokhara Rhinos 116/0 (17.4 overs) |
| Dipendra Singh Airee 42 (32) Israrullah 4/22 (4 overs) | | Israrullah 61 (52)* Lalit Bhandari 0/12 (3 overs) |
* Rhinos won by 10 wickets TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Himal Giri and Durga Subedi Player of the match: Israrullah (Pokhara Rhinos)
* Pokhara Rhinos, elected to field first

### Match 3

* 19 December 12:45 Scorecard
| Biratnagar Warriors 150/6 (20 overs) | v | Lalitpur Patriots 144/4 (20 overs) |
| Anil Sah 47 (35) Sandeep Lamichhane 2/29 (4 overs) | | Pawan Sarraf 51 (47) Basant Regmi 1/17 (4 overs) |
* Warriors won by 6 runs TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Sanjay Gurung (Nepal), Durga Subedi (Nepal) Player of the match: Anil Sah (Biratnagar Warriors)
* Lalitpur Patriots, elected to field first

### Match 4

* 20 December 09:00 Scorecard
| Pokhara Rhinos 122/6 (20 overs) | v | Biratnagar Warriors 123/7 (19.4 overs) |
| Rajesh Pulami Magar 30 (35) Paras Khadka 3/28 (4 overs) | | Anshuman Rath 60(61) Israrullah 2/10 (4 overs) |
* Warriors won by 3 wickets TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Adhip Pradhan and Ram Yadav Player of the match: Anshuman Rath (Biratnagar Warriors)
* Biratnagar Warriors, elected to field first

### Match 5

* 20 December 12:45 Scorecard
| Kathmandu Kings XI 118/8 (20 overs) | v | Bhairahawa Gladiators 121/3 (16.3 overs) |
| Amit Shrestha 29 (32) Dipesh Shrestha 3/16 (3 overs) | | Puneet Bisht 42 (29)* Amar Singh Routela 1/6 (1 over) |
* Gladiators won by 7 wickets TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Sanjay Gurung and Vinay Kumar Player of the match: Sharad Vesawkar (Bhairahawa Gladiators)
* Kathmandu Kings XI, elected to bat first

### Match 6

* 21 December 09:00 Scorecard
| Lalitpur Patriots 141/9 (20 overs) | v | Bhairahawa Gladiators 145/6 (20 overs) |
| Yogesh Nagar 54 (33) Dipesh Shrestha 3/24 (4 overs) | | Puneet Bisht 50 (38) Yogesh Nagar 2/31 (4 overs) |
* Gladiators won by 4 wickets TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Himal Giri and Durga Subedi Player of the match: Puneet Bisht (Bhairahawa Gladiators)
* Bhairahawa Gladiators, elected to field first

### Match 7

* 21 December 12:45 Scorecard
| Chitwan Tigers 142/7 (20 overs) | v | Kathmandu Kings XI 143/7 (19.2 overs) |
| Dilip Nath 46 (40) Farveez Maharoof 3/21 (4 overs) | | Farveez Maharoof 39 (33) Praveen Gupta 2/23 (4 overs) |
* Kings XI won by 3 wickets TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Adhip Pradhan and Ram Yadav Player of the match: Farveez Maharoof (Kathmandu Kings XI)
* Kathmandu Kings XI, elected to field first

### Match 8

* 22 December 09:00 Scorecard
| Kathmandu Kings XI 98/8 (20 overs) | v | Pokhara Rhinos 102/4 (18.2 overs) |
| Sagar Pun 36 (47) Bikram Sob 2/11 (3 overs) | | Israrullah 45 (48)* Sagar Pun 2/19 (4 overs) |
* Rhinos won by 6 wickets TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Sanjay Gurung and Hiralal Raut Player of the match: Israrullah (Pokhara Rhinos)
* Pokhara Rhinos, elected to field first

### Match 9

* 22 December 12:45 Scorecard
| Biratnagar Warriors 174/8 (20 overs) | v | Chitwan Tigers 103/10 (18.2 overs) |
| Babar Hayat 81 (42) Praveen Gupta 5/23 (4 overs) | | Bhim Sharki 24 (20) Basant Regmi 4/11 (3.2 overs) |
* Warriors won by 71 runs TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Vinay Kumar and Adhip Pradhan Player of the match: Babar Hayat (Biratnagar Warriors)
* Chitawan Tigers, elected to field first

### Match 10

* 23 December 09:00 Scorecard
| Biratnagar Warriors 149/6 (20 overs) | v | Bhairahawa Gladiators 114/10 (18.3 overs) |
| Anshuman Rath 57 (50) Harishankar Shah 3/35 (4 overs) | | Pradeep Airee 18 (18) Avinash Karn 4/25 (4 overs) |
* Warriors won by 35 runs TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Hiralal Raut, Vinay Kumar Player of the match: Avinash Karn (Biratnagar Warriors)
* Bhairahawa Gladiators, elected to field first

### Match 11

* 23 December 12:45 Scorecard
| Lalitpur Patriots 130/10 (20.0 overs) | v | Chitwan Tigers 132/5 (19.2 overs) |
| Shankar Rana 27(37) Yogendra S Karki 4/31 (4 overs) | | Dipendra Singh Airee 55 (50) Sunny Patel 3/23 (4 overs) |
* Tigers won by 5 wickets TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Sanjay Gurung and Buddhi Pradhan Player of the match: Praveen Gupta (Chitwan Tigers)
* Lalitpur Patriots, elected to bat first

### Match 12

* 25 December 09:00 Scorecard
| Biratnagar Warriors 147/7 (20 overs) | v | Kathmandu Kings XI 139/9 (20 overs) |
| Babar Hayat 67 (50) Sompal Kami 2/33 (4 overs) | | Farveez Maharoof 42 (37) Anshuman Rath 3/19 (4 overs) |
* Warriors won by 8 runs TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Vinay Kumar and Durga Subedi Player of the match: Anshuman Rath (Biratnagar Warriors)
* Kathmandu Kings XI, elected to field first

### Match 13

* 25 December 12:45 Scorecard
| Pokhara Rhinos 108/10 (18.3 overs) | v | Bhairahawa Gladiators 110/3 (17.4 overs) |
| Israrullah 41 (40) Dipesh Shrestha 2/14 (3.3 overs) | | Aarif Sheikh 48 (47)* Taj Wali 2/25 (3.2 overs) |
* Gladiators won by 7 wickets TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Himal Giri and Buddhi Pradhan Player of the match: Aarif Sheikh (Bhairahawa Gladiators)
* Pokhara Rhinos, elected to bat first

### Match 14

* 26 December 09:00 Scorecard
| Chitwan Tigers 87/9 (20 overs) | v | Bhairahawa Gladiators 88/6 (18.3 overs) |
| Dipendra Singh Airee 15 (14) Sharad Vesawkar 3/12 (4 overs) | | Puneet Mehra 30 (29) Shahab Alam 2/12 (4 overs) |
* Gladiators won by 4 wickets TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Sanjay Gurung and Vinay Kumar Player of the match: Sharad Vesawkar (Bhairahawa Gladiators)
* Bhairahawa Gladiators, elected to field first

### Match 15

* 26 December 12:45 Scorecard
| Pokhara Rhinos 132/5 (20 overs) | v | Lalitpur Patriots 138/4 (20 overs) |
| Sunil Dhamala 70 (62)* Dipesh Bhandari 1/26 (4 overs) | | Jaykishan Kolsawala 56 (45) Israrullah 2/26 (4 overs) |
* Patriots won by 6 wickets TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Buddhi Pradhan and Ram Yadav Player of the match: Jaykishan Kolsawala (Lalitpur Patriots)
* Lalitpur Patriots, elected to field first

## Playoff stage

| Preliminary | Preliminary | Preliminary | Preliminary | Preliminary | Preliminary | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Biratnagar Warriors | 131/2 | | | | Q1W | Biratnagar Warriors | 149/7 |
| 2 | Bhairahawa Gladiators | 127/8 | | | | Q2W | Bhairahawa Gladiators | 148/9 |
| | | | Q1L | Bhairahawa Gladiators | 133/7 | | | |
| | | | EW | Lalitpur Patriots | 132/6 | | | |
| 3 | Lalitpur Patriots | 138/5 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Pokhara Rhinos | 111/10 | | | | | | |

### Preliminary
#### Qualifier 1

* 27 December 09:00 Scorecard
| Bhairahawa Gladiators 127/8 (20 overs) | v | Biratnagar Warriors 131/2 (17 overs) |
| Puneet Mehra 49 (34) Sahan Adeesha 2/29 (4 overs) | | Babar Hayat 62 (44) Harishankar Sah 1/23 (4 overs) |
* Warriors won by 8 wickets TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Durga Subedi and Buddhi Pradhan Player of the match: Babar Hayat (Biratnagar Warriors)
* Biratnagar Warriors, elected to field first

#### Eliminator

* 27 December 12:45 Scorecard
| Lalitpur Patriots 138/5 (20 overs) | v | Pokhara Rhinos 111/10 (19.1 overs) |
| Sunny Patel 38 (26) Israrullah 3/14 (4 overs) | | Israrullah 25 (22) Sandeep Lamichhane 3/27 (3 overs) |
* Patriots won by 27 runs TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Sanjay Gurung and Vinay Kumar Player of the match: Sunny Patel (Lalitpur Patriots)
* Lalitpur Patriots, elected to field first

#### Qualifier 2

* 28 December 11:00 Scorecard
| Lalitpur Patriots 132/6 (20 overs) | v | Bhairahawa Gladiators 133/7 (19.3 overs) |
| Jaykishan Kolsawala 42 (37) Puneet Mehra 2/28 (4 overs) | | Pratham Salunke 32 (22) Lalit Rajbanshi 2/9 (4 overs) |
* Gladiators won by 3 wickets TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Vinay Kumar and Buddhi Pradhan Player of the match: Rohit Paudel (Bhairahawa Gladiators)
* Bhairahawa Gladiators, elected to field first

### Final

* 30 December 11:00 Scorecard
| Biratnagar Warriors 149/7 (20 overs) | v | Bhairahawa Gladiators 148/8 (20 overs) |
| Anshuman Rath 41 (41) Harishankar Sah 2/16 (4 overs) | | Sharad Vesawkar 52 (39) Paras Khadka 3/18 (3.5 overs) |
* Warriors won by 1 run TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Umpires: Sanjay Gurung and Durga Subedi Player of the match: Paras Khadka (Biratnagar Warriors)
* Biratnagar Warriors, elected to bat first

## Statistics
### Most runs

| Player | Team | Runs |
| Babar Hayat | Biratnagar Warriors | 313 |
| Anshuman Rath | Biratnagar Warriors | 271 |
| Jaykishan Kolsawala | Lalitpur Patriots | 227 |
| Israrullah | Pokhara Rhinos | 196 |
| Aarif Sheikh | Bhairahawa Gladiators | 187 |
* Source: Cricinfo

### Most wickets

| Player | Team | Wickets |
| Israrullah | Pokhara Rhinos | 12 |
| Basant Regmi | Biratnagar Warriors | 12 |
| Praveen Gupta | Chitwan Tigers | 10 |
| Paras Khadka | Biratnagar Warriors | 10 |
| Harishankar Sah | Bhairahawa Gladiators | 10 |
* Source: Cricinfo