Wednesday’s first doubleheader features the Karnali Yaks taking on the Kathmandu Gurkhas. Both teams suffered defeats in their opening games and will be eager to secure their first points in the tournament.
The Yaks’ top five batters had a game to forget, with none managing to score more than 14 runs. However, their middle and lower-middle order stepped up, rescuing the innings to post a competitive 141/7 against the Janakpur Bolts. The overseas batter will need to contribute significantly at the top to provide a solid platform for the middle order. Arjun Gharti impressed with a quickfire 33 off 22 balls, while skipper Sompal Kami (29) and all-rounder Gulshan Jha (36) also made valuable contributions.
For the Gurkhas, Michael Levitt looked promising during his 25 off 16 balls in the opening match. He will aim to convert his starts into a bigger innings this time around. On the bowling front, Shahab Alam was the standout performer with three wickets and will remain a key threat alongside skipper Karan KC. Both bowlers will need to deliver if the Gurkhas are to claim their first points of the tournament.
Probable Playing XI of Karnali Yaks
Dev Khanal
Shikhar Dhawan
Chadwick Walton
Babar Hayat
Zeeshan Maqsood
Gulsan Jha
Arjun Gharti
Sompal Kami
Nandan Yadav
Mausam Dhakal
Bhuvan Karki
Probable Playing XI of Kathmandu Gurkhas
Stephen Eskinazi †
Michael Levitt
Sumit Maharjan
Gerhard Erasmus
Bhim Sharki
Shankar Rana
Rashid Khan
Dan Douthwaite
Karan KC (c)
Shahab Alam
Dipesh Kandel
