Nineteen matches have been completed in this Nepal Premier League (NPL), and we are now heading into the business end of the tournament. Sudurpaschim Royals remain the only unbeaten side in the competition with five straight wins. Biratnagar Kings and Kathmandu Gorkhas are also pushing strongly to finish in the top two with already eight points each. In all likelihood, it could be a fight for the fourth playoff spot among the remaining teams. Here are some of the standout stats and records from this season so far:

Fastest half-century

Harmeet Singh smashed the fastest fifty of this season, reaching the mark in just 19 balls. He did it against Kathmandu Gorkhas when his team needed him most (they were 72/6). It’s the second-fastest fifty in NPL history, behind Jimmy Neesham’s 18-ball effort against Chitwan Rhinos.

Top 3 fastest fifties this season

Harmeet Singh, 19-ball vs Kathmandu Gorkhas (2nd fastest overall)

Kushal Bhurtel, 25-ball vs Biratnagar Kings

John Simpson, 25-ball vs Chitwan Rhinos

Slowest half-century

Pokhara Avengers’ Adam Rossington made an unwanted record to his name when he reached fifty of the 52 deliveries against Lumbini Lions.

Top 3 slowest fifties this season

Adam Rossington, 52 balls vs Lumbini Lions (slowest overall)

Ravi Bopara, 45 balls vs Lumbini Lions (2nd slowest overall)

Priyank Panchal, 42 balls vs Biratnagar Kings

Most runs in a power play

Quick runs in the power play haven’t come often in this year’s NPL. Pokhara Avengers raced to 77/1 after 6 overs while chasing 221 against Biratnagar Kings. It’s the second-highest powerplay score in NPL history, behind their own record of 80/0 against Lumbini Lions last year.

Pokhara Avengers – 77/1 vs Biratnagar Kings

Karnali Yaks – 63/1 vs Lumbini Lions

Sudurpaschim Royals- 60/0 vs Pokhara Avengers

Most runs in the death overs

Pokhara Avengers smashed 74 runs in the last five overs of their innings—the most runs scored in the death overs (16–20) in NPL history. However, it wasn’t enough for a win as they had managed only 76 runs in the first 15 overs. Lumbini Lions chased down the target of 151 in the final over.

Pokhara Avengers: 74 vs Lumbini Lions

Biratnagar Kings: 69 vs Karnali Yaks

Lumbini Lions: 68 vs Karnali Yaks

Fastest century

Mark Watt hammered a 41-ball century against Lumbini Lions. It’s the fastest century and only the second hundred in NPL history.

Most expensive Over

Karan KC took apart Namibia’s Ruben Trumpelmann, hitting 1 four and 4 sixes in an over that went for 31 runs, the most expensive over in NPL history. The previous record was set just a day earlier, when Rohit conceded 27 runs against Karnali Yaks.

31 – Ruben Trumpelmann vs Kathmandu Gorkhas

27 – Rohit Paudel vs Karnali Yaks

26- Jimmy Neesham vs Sudurpaschim Royals

Most overs of spin bowling

Janakpur Bolts surprised everyone by bowling 16 consecutive overs of spin against Biratnagar Kings before they used pace bowlers. It’s the joint-most overs of spin bowled by any team in NPL, equalling Pokhara Avengers’ 16 overs in a previous season.

Most overs of spin bowling

Janakpur Bolts – 16 vs Biratnagar Kings

Janakpur Bolts – 15 vs Pokhara Avengers

Kathmandu Gorkhas – 14 vs Janakpur Bolts

Wicket off the first ball of the match

Bowlers took a wicket off the very first ball of the match twice this season. Sompal Kami cleaned up Australian Josh Brown, and yesterday Karan KC took a return catch to dismiss Priyank Panchal.

*Maaz Sadaqat took a wicket off the first ball in the second innings against Sudurpaschim Royals*

Lowest power play score

Kathmandu Gorkhas recorded the lowest powerplay total of this season with 22/3 against Biratnagar Kings. Only four power-play scores in NPL history have been lower.

Lowest PP scores:

Kathamandu Gorkhas: 22/3 vs Biratnagar Kings

Pokhara Avengers: 25/3 vs Sudurpaschim Royals

Pokhara Avengers: 27/2 vs Lumbini Lions

Sudurpaschim Royals: 27/2 vs Karnali Yaks

Sudurpaschim Royals: 27/4 vs Kathmandu Gorkhas

Six in the first ball of the innings

Maaz Sadaqat smashed the first ball of the second innings for six against Pokhara Avengers to send a strong message. It’s only the second time a batter has hit a six off the first ball of an innings in NPL history.

Highest Totals

Biratnagar Kings (220/6 vs Pokhara Avengers)

Sudurpaschim Royals (193/7 vs Pokhara Avengers)

Pokhara Avengers (175/8 vs Sudurpaschim Royals)