After a day’s break, Nepal Premier League action resumes Tuesday at the TU International Cricket Ground. The first match of the day will see Chitwan Rhinos face Lumbini Lions at 9 AM, followed by a clash between Pokhara Avengers and Karnali Yaks at 1 PM.
Chitwan Rhinos come into the match on the back of a 33-run victory over Sudurpaschim Royals. Lumbini Lions are still searching for their first win after suffering a narrow one-run defeat against Janakpur Bolts. With four losses already, Lumbini’s hopes of progressing are nearly dashed, while Chitwan look like a strong contender for the top two spots.
The matchup between the two teams will showcase contrasting strengths. Chitwan boasts one of the best bowling lineups, while Lumbini, despite struggles with the ball, have impressed with their batting. Lumbini’s batting order has been tested in run chases but has performed well when setting targets, posting 191 against Biratnagar Kings and 170 against Pokhara Avengers.
Lumbini’s batters will face a stern test against the lethal left-arm pace duo of Sohail Tanveer and Rijan Dhakal. Tanveer’s experience and Dhakal’s youth will form a formidable attack for the Rhinos.
Chitwan Rhinos’ main concern will be their batting. While they’ve got off to decent starts, they’ve failed to capitalize on them. If their domestic batters can perform at their best, the Rhinos will be tough to stop in the race to the finals.
Both teams are likely to field the same playing XI. Lumbini may opt for Tilak Bhandari as an extra spinner to strengthen their bowling attack.
Chitwan Rhinos Probable Playing XI: Santosh Karki, Hassan Eisakhil, Bipin Rawal, Kushal Malla, Ravi Bopara, Amar Rautela, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Deepak Bohara, Sohail Tanveer, Ranjit Kumar, Rijan Dhakal
Lumbini Lions Probable Playing XI: Arjun Saud, Ashutosh Ghiraiya, Rohit Paudel, Ben Cutting, Tom Moores, Bibek Yadav, Sundeep Jora, Saad Bin Zafar, Durgesh Gupta, Abhishesh Gautam, Ramon Simmonds/Tilak Bhandari
Second Match: Pokhara Avengers vs Karnali Yaks
In the second match, Pokhara Avengers will take on Karnali Yaks, both teams coming off wins in their previous encounters. Karnali won by 7 runs against Biratnagar Kings, marking their second win in the competition, while Pokhara hammered Lumbini Lions by 10 wickets in their only win so far.
With the playoff scenario heating up, both teams will see this as a must-win encounter. Pokhara will be without their head coach Rajiv Kumar, who left the team after the tragic passing of his father. Despite early batting concerns, Pokhara’s form has improved with the addition of Andries Gous.
Karnali Yaks will miss the services of Shikhar Dhawan, who returned to India after fulfilling his four-match commitment. The Yaks batting will now rely heavily on their domestic players. Rit Gautam may make his debut against Pokhara, and could open the batting alongside Dev Khanal.
Pokhara’s bowling attack is led by a strong spin duo of left-arm spinners Bipin Khatri and Sagar Dhakal, along with medium-pacer Akash Chand. Pokhara will likely field the same playing XI.
Karnali Yaks have a formidable pace attack led by Sompal Kami, supported by Gulshan Jha and Nandan Yadav. Their young talent, Bipin Sharma, has already made a name for himself with impressive back-to-back performances, including a Player of the Match award for his figures of 3/21 against Chitwan Rhinos.
Pokhara Avengers Probable Playing XI: Andries Gous, Dinesh Kharel, Kushal Bhurtel, Dilip Nath, Matt Critchley, Raymon Reifer, Michael Leask, Narayan Joshi, Bipin Khatri, Aakash Chand, Sagar Dhakal
Karnali Yaks Probable Playing XI: Rit Gautam, Dev Khanal, Chadwick Walton, William Bosisto, Gulshan Jha, Arjun Gharti, Zeeshan Maqsood, Sompal Kami, Nandan Yadav, Unish Thakuri, Bipin Sharma
Where To Watch
Fans can follow all the action live on Star Sports globally, Fancode in India, Dish Home Go OTT in Nepal, and Action Sports’ YouTube channel in Nepal.
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