By Pawan Acharya
International level cricket is set to return to Tribhuwan University Cricket Ground on March 11 and 13. Before heading to the first match on Saturday, here are some interesting stats and facts.
To begin with, here are some numbers regarding the fans’ favourite- Paras Khadka. (Tweet these with the hashtag #ParasStat to @wicketnepal)
352– Runs scored by Nepal captain in the tournament which is only second to Hong Kong’s Anshuman Rath who is currently leading the chart with 498 runs. Paras has scored these at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 91.66 with the high score of 103.
11– Sixes hit by Khadka, the most runs by any batsman other than Hong Kong’s Nizakat Khan who has one more six than him. Combined tally of other Nepali batsmen is 13.
7– Sixes by Paras during his 103 against Namibia. This is the most by any batsman in this tournament.
And now here are some team stats.
Nepal
12– Wickets taken by Basant Regmi in this tournament, which is the most for Nepali bowlers. He has bowled 52.3 overs with an average of 23.83 and an economy rate of 4.82. Sompal Kami comes second with 10 wickets.
294– Runs scored by Sharad Vesawkar only second to Paras among Nepali players. Sharad is 7th overall in the tournament.
485– Balls faced by Sharad in this tournament, second most by any batsman. Only Hong Kong’s Anshuman Rath has faced more – 559.
3– Lowest margin of runs that any team has fallen short of during a chase on WCL. Nepal lost to Scotland by 3 runs in their very first match of the tournament.
94– Nepal’s score against Netherlands which is the lowest score by any team on a completed match in the tournament.
358– Runs conceded by Sompal Kami. Despite having sixteen more bowlers bowl more overs than his 52.2, he is the most expensive bowler in this league.
2– Centuries scored by Nepali batsmen in this league. Beside Paras, Anil Mandal had got a 100 against Scotland. This is the joint second most by any team. Only Scotland has three individual centuries. [Namibia and Hong Kong also have two.]
Kenya
279– Runs for Irfan Karim in this league, which is most by any Kenyan batsman and 8th overall. Next on the list is Captain Rakep Patel who has managed 231 runs at the average of 33.
10– Most wicket for any Kenyan bowler, Nehemiah Odhiambo, from seven innings at the average of 24.8 and economy rate of 5.39. Next man on the wicket takers list is Shem Nogoche with 9 scalps from eight innings.
5/16– Overall second best bowling figure in an innings by any bowler in this tournament, behind Mudassar Bukhari’s 6/24. Rakep Patel had done this with his off spin. Altogether he has eight wickets from six innings of bowling.
0- Number of Kenyan batsman who has reached triple figures in this tournament. Kenya is only the second team, along with UAE, not to have single individual hundred. Best individual score for a Kenyan is 95 by RN Patel against PNG.
So what about between Nepal and Kenya? Both teams seem to be balanced but both of them are unsettled on squad selection. During the course of this tournament, Kenya have fielded seventeen different players with five featuring on all matches but their highest wicket taker has only featured on seven. Wicketkeeper Irfan Karim, Captain Rakep Patel, VC Shem Ngoche, Collins Obuya and Lucas Olouch are the five Kenyan who have played every WCL matches. Along with this, they have added two more new faces on current squad.
On other side, Nepal have fielded twenty one different players on eight different games with Captain Paras Khadka, VC Gyanendra Malla, Sharad Vesawkar, Basant Regmi and Sompal Kami being regular faces. Shakti Gauchan (7), Anil Mandal (6) and Sagar Pun are others with as many matches. Among current squad three faces are added other than those twenty one.
All stats and date are compiled by the author and Wicketnepal does not claim any responsibility for the correctness.
