KATHMANDU, June 7 – Nepal national cricket team is set to play against Scotland in a highly awaited match this Sunday under the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup League 2. After gaining two successive victories, Nepal is now eyeing a third successive victory, raising hopes among fans as well as experts.
The Sunday match is high-stakes for both teams. Scotland is positioned fourth on the League 2 table right now, while Nepal stands at seventh. As every point is crucial in the race for qualifications, the Sunday game can potentially provide Nepal an unwarranted lift to its placement and momentum.
Recent performances have provided a confidence booster to the Nepali team. The team overran a solid target of 297 runs in one of the previous games – their highest successful home ODI chase. Much of this change is owing to new head coach Monty Desai, whose focus on aggressive cricket and confidence-building has started to yield dividends on the field.
Karan KC can be a game-changer again, referring to his match-winning innings in the last match. Rumor has it that Karan can be utilized as a “floater” in the batting order to stabilize or accelerate the innings if early wickets tumble, particularly around overs 35-40.”.
However, tactical discipline remains a cause of concern. Captain Rohit Paudel’s unnecessary deployment of part-time bowlers in the last match – specifically Arif Sheikh, who bowled seven overs – was questioned. Experts suggest that such bowlers be used for only one or two overs to avoid losing the momentum to the opposing team.
Middle-order conundrums are another common issue for Nepal. The side has also often crumbled by losing wickets off unnecessary shots instead of watchingful batting. Solid partnerships and wicket keeping will be crucial if Nepal wants to maintain the reins at that moment of turning in the game.
On the Scottish side, the opener George Munsey is considered to be the biggest threat. While he failed to make any impression in the first match, his ability to bounce back and score match-winning innings makes him a must-watch player.
With both of Nepal’s past wins in the series having been accomplished while chasing, Sunday’s match may test the team’s strategy if they’re forced to bat first. Strategically adjusting to match conditions will be the key.
Watch the full video .
