The stage is set here in the lap of the Himalayas for the big event of WCLC. Two teams will be battling for their spot in top Four to qualify for the penultimate World Cup of 2019. Millions of people will be tuning in various Websites, Televisions, YouTube as well as news regarding this match. Fifteen thousand crowd inside and thousands of crowd outside will turn a cricket match into a festive season in Kirtipur.
Nepal and Kenya always had a thrilling encounter whenever they met in any tournament. To justify my words regarding thrilling encounter Sharad Vesawkar majestic last over innings during T-20 World cup Qualifier is enough. Time has changed the format of the game has changed and so is both the teams. Kenya’s weakness in the middle order has been exposed in recent games, whereas Nepal’s top order have been lacking a good run in recent WCLC Fixtures. Nepal playing in their own backyard will defiantly have an edge against Kenya.
Turning the statistics pages of World Cricket League:
Looking at the points table Kenya is in fifth position with four wins and four losses from eight encounters whereas Nepal are trailing by just two points and are situated below Kenya in the sixth position with three wins and five losses from eight matches.
Kenya had a mixed tournament so far as Kenya’s Run in WCLC is: L, W, W, W, L, L, W, L.
Despite a poor start Nepal have managed to comeback in the tournament so far as Nepal’s Run in WCLC is: L, L, L, L, W, W, L, W.
With just a separation of two points in the points table this is definitely going to a great game of cricket for the fans and supporters all around the globe.
Player to Watch: Kenyan Team
Let us have a Statistical insight of this match regarding player’s performance in this World Cricket League. Kenya has some big names on their side as Nehemiah Odhiambo, Irfan Karim, Rakep Patel, and Rushab Patel. Every player has a potential to turn the game into their favor as all these players are big match winners who could display their potentials with either bat or bowl.
Looking back at the games they have played during this WCLC they had displayed a mixed performance from their batting line up. Sometimes a good performance from their top order while the middle order failing to convert a good start into a huge total and in some games middle order controlling the game despite the poor start. Their bowling also looks similar to batting as bowling performance in some matches has won the game and in some have even failed to defend a huge score.
The most watched players are going to be all-rounder Rakep Patel, who looks in good form scoring 231 runs in last 8 matches alongside 8 wickets and 5 wicket haul against Hong Kong recently. Similarly Narendra Patel cannot be taken easily as his recent 95 runs against the mighty PNG side have proved him as an important part of Kenyan side. Middle order batsman Irfan Karim performance in WCLC cannot be taken lightly, as he has an average of 37.85 and a Strike rate of 66.41 with 265 runs in 7 matches.
Kenyan Bowling side is being led by two Odhiambo Brothers Nehemiah Odhiambo and Nelson Odhiambo. Nehemiah has 9 wickets whereas Nelson has 10 wickets. Both can be turn out to be brothers of destruction and can be a threat to Nepalese batting line up.
Player to watch out: Nepalese Cricket Team
Nepalese Team had a mixed tournament with the bat so far. Their batsman rose high in the last game against Netherlands with a majestic innings from Captain Paras Khadka sealed their match against unbeaten Dutch side. Recent Matches against Namibia and Netherlands have shown a positive in the middle order with Sharad Vesawkar supporting the man in form Paras Khadka.
The next player in the middle order will be emerging all-rounder Sompal Kami who has shown some positives with the bat in recent domestic matches. Kenyan team will definitely be planning and plotting against Captain Paras Khadka as he is the biggest Threat to them. Paras Khadka had an impressive performance in WCLC so far as he is currently in second position of most runs in WCLC with 352 runs in 8 matches who has a very good form with bat recently averaging 44.00 and a strike rate of 91.66 alongside 1 century and 3 half centuries. Bowling and Fielding have always been Nepal’s biggest Assets.
The two veteran stars that lie in Nepalese Bowling Line up are Basant Regmi and Shakti Gauchan, best spinners among the associates who are supported by a rising star Sandeep Lamichhane in a spinning track of TU Ground can be a trouble for Kenyan Side. Hard Hitters like Binod Bhandari and Karan KC who can turn the game into Nepalese Side from any situation in their respective day are like a storm that can take a winning game from Kenyan side.
Paras Khadka going through a recent operation has decreased his chance of Bowling in this match and Inclusion of two medium fast bowlers Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee and Mehaboob Alam seems like a replacement of Paras Khadka in Bowling. For Kenya “The Regmi Factor” will be the biggest threat to Kenyan Batsman. Regmi has always been the Backbone of Nepalese Bowling Attack with 12 wickets from 8 matches in WCLC.
Gyanendra Malla adapting into a new role of opening the innings will be supported by a young Opener Sunil Dhamala. Every One eyes will be on this new opening pair as a good start is always been lacking in Nepalese Innings.
12th Man:
Kenya will not only be playing against 11 men in blue and red jersey but also will be battling against more than 20 thousand fans inside and outside the grounds. They will also be struggling against a mental game played by fans.
Fixture of Nepal and Kenya is a full competition between two sides just separated by two points battling against each other for that one spot. This will be an exciting competition of bat and bowl which is supposed to be a nail biter at the last as both evenly matched sides will face each other here at Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground on 11th and 13th of March.
