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WCL Kenya series: Four interesting contests within Nepal squad

Nepal’s national cricket squad will take on Kenya in their first World Cricket League series for 2017 next month. The squad will leave for India for a week to train in Noida, and the selectors have already named 18 probables for the home encounter against the African squad.

The preliminary list of players selected for the series includes some youngsters who have proven their mettle at the junior level. This is perhaps the first time in recent history that so many youngsters have made the cut into the national squad, displacing big and established players from the team. There is no doubt that there’s tough competition for everyone to retain his spot in the team. However, there are some key positions in which the competition is tougher.

 

1.

Gyanendra’s opening partner

Dilip Nath, Asif Sheikh, Sunil Dhamala

Nepal, for a long time, has been struggling to find a specialist opening batsman. While Vice-captain Gyanendra Malla’s transformation into an opener seems to have almost been completed, the team is still on the look out for Malla’s partner. While Naresh Budhayair opened for the side during the home matches against Namibia, Anil Mandal took up the job during the tour of the Netherlands.

The team is now learnt to be looking at three young guns to open the batting with Malla. According to team sources, Dilip Nath, Asif Sheikh and Sunil Dhamala are in contention for the spot. While Dhamala was on the list of probables in the series against the Netherlands, he is yet to debut. This is the first time that Nath and Sheikh have received national call.

Who gets a spot in the final 11 will be decided based on their performance in India.

 

 

2.

Who will keep the wickets?

Sheikh, Bhandari

Asif Sheikh, who has been seen as one of the most talented, hard-hitting batsmen, will compete with Binod Bhandari – also a hitter of the same brand – not just for the title but also to keep the wickets. Sheikh, who is a wicket-keeper batsman, could not keep wickets during the recently concluded ACC U-19 Youth Asia Cup due to a finger injury.

Bhandari has not had the opportunity to keep wickets as Raju Rijal and Subhash Khakurel did the job for the team. However, both Rijal and Khakurel did not make it to the team this time.

 

3.

Lower order finisher

Airee, Bhandari

While Binod Bhandari showed his hitting prowess at the National Games in Biratnagar, Dipendra Singh Airee put his finishing talent on display at the U-19 Youth Asia Cup. Airee also doubles as a medium pacer and has shown good composure in the death overs. His coaches say Airee loves to bowl during the final overs when the batsmen want to pounce at everything.

There will be a close contest between Bhandari and Airee for the no. 7 spot. But team sources say that the captain might make the call based on ground conditions. The team also has a lot of faith in Bhandari’s stroke-making ability.

 

4.

Sompal Vs Karan

Karan, Sompal

Sompal Kami and Karan KC have been the team’s premier pace bowlers for a long time. While Kami is the more potent of the bowlers, KC is also catching up. Fans would think that Kami has a better chance of playing than KC but the coach might have some tricks up his sleeves.

While playing two pacers is next to impossible on a wicket like TU Cricket Ground, it is almost certain that Kami will be the team’s main strike bowler. But KC could surprise everyone !

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