Even though the Janakpur Bolts have qualified for the playoffs, they have not yet secured a top-two finish. On the other hand, the Chitwan Rhinos’ playoff hopes are looking increasingly shaky after suffering their third loss in four matches. If the Bolts lose tomorrow and the Karnali Yaks win by a significant margin—provided the Sudur Paschim Royals win at least one of their remaining two matches—the Bolts will finish third. Similarly, if the Rhinos lose, they will need favorable results from other teams to make the playoffs. The Rhinos certainly won’t want their fate to be decided by others, making this game crucial for both sides.
The Chitwan Rhinos perfectly started their last match when Rijan Dhakal picked up two wickets in the first over, followed by Sohail Tanvir dismissing Scott Edwards to leave the Biratnagar Kings reeling at 10/3. The Kings further slumped to 33/4. However, dropped catches by Kushal Malla and Sohail Tanvir proved costly as the Kings recovered to post 181/5, thanks to explosive innings from Bashir Ahmad (68*) and Rajesh Pulami (33*). The Kings went on to win the match convincingly by 51 runs.
The Bolts, meanwhile, had a shocking outing against the Sudur Paschim Royals when they were bowled out for just 51 runs. However, they bounced back in their next game, securing a 5-wicket victory while chasing 102. That chase wasn’t without its challenges, as the Bolts were reduced to 44/4 before a crucial 33-run partnership between Jimmy Neesham and Harsh Thaker helped steer them over the line. Apart from that one poor performance, the Bolts have been impressive throughout the tournament, with both batters and bowlers delivering consistent performances ahead of the playoffs.
One area of concern for the Bolts, however, is the form of Asif Sheikh. Despite getting starts, he has yet to make a significant contribution with the bat.
Probable Playing XI (Chitwan Rhinos)
Santosh Karki
Kushal Malla (C)
Ravi Bopara
Basil Hameed
Deepak Bohara
Amar Singh Rautela
Bipin Rawal
Ranjit Kumar
Rijan Dhakal
Sohail Tanvir
Janakpur Bolts (Probable Playing XIs)
Anil Kumar Sah
Aasif Sheikh
Lahiru Milantha
Shubh Kansakar
James Neesham
Harsh Thaker
Muhammad Mohsin
Sher Malla
Hemant Dhami/Arniko Yadav
Lalit Rajbanshi
Kishore Mahato
