The second match of the day will feature Rohit Paudel’s Lumbini Lions taking on Kushal Bhurtel’s Pokhara Avengers. Lumbini suffered a setback in their opening game, failing to defend a 190-plus total, while Pokhara are still searching for their first victory as they experiment with combinations. The Avengers showed some improvement in their batting today but fell short of a competitive total, managing only 138 runs. This led to a seven-wicket defeat against the Janakpur Bolts, who notched their third consecutive win. Both teams are desperate for two points to stay in contention for the playoff race, making tomorrow’s clash crucial.
Pokhara skipper Kushal Bhurtel is yet to find form in the tournament, registering two low scores in as many games. His decision to demote himself down the order didn’t pay off today. In contrast, Lumbini captain Rohit Paudel was in sublime touch during the opening game, scoring a brisk 46 off 29 balls despite his team’s two-wicket loss. Pokhara’s Andries Gous showed glimpses of promise with a 20-run cameo, while Dinesh Kharel has struggled in both outings. It remains to be seen if the Avengers stick to their current opening pair or opt for changes. In the middle order, Marcus Critchley (35) and Michael Leask (25) impressed and are expected to play key roles tomorrow.
For the Lions, their batting showed depth in the first game, with as many as seven players reaching double figures, including two with scores of 30 or more. Rohit Paudel remains the lynchpin of the lineup and will be crucial once again. On the bowling front, Paudel used only five bowlers in the opening match, as Ben Cutting was unable to bowl due to a niggle. Bibek Yadav endured a tough outing, conceding 64 runs in 3.5 overs for one wicket. If the pitch offers assistance to spinners, Paudel himself might contribute with the ball to provide some variety.
Probable Playing XI of Lumbini Lions
Aashutosh Ghiraiya
Arjun Saud
Rohit Kumar Paudel
Tom Moores
Sundeep Jora
Ben Cutting
Bibek Yadav
Saad Bin Zafar
Surya Tamang
Durgesh Gupta
Ramon Simmonds
Probable Playing XI (Pokhara Avengers)
Dinesh Kharel
Andries Gous (Wk)
Kushal Bhurtel (C)
Bas De Leede/Marcus Critchley
Dilip Nath
Michael Leask
Narayan Joshi
Raymon Reifer
Bipin Khatri
Akash Chand
Sagar Dhakal
