Sports

Nepal vs Baroda in SMS Friendship Cup Today| Kick-off in Nepali time

KATHMANDU- Nepal is playing their second match of the SMS Friendship Cup T20 series against Baroda today. the match between these two teams will be held at 2:45 PM Nepali time.

In their opening encounter, Nepal emerged victorious against Gujarat, securing an 8-wicket win. Following suit, Gujarat triumphed over Baroda by 5 wickets on Monday. Nepal aims to clinch their second consecutive win while Baroda seeks their maiden victory. Gulshan Jha’s 4-wicket haul and Karan KC’s 3-wicket spell dismantled Gujarat, restricting them to a mere 98 runs.

Chasing a target of 99 runs, Nepal reached the mark losing only 2 wickets in 15.2 overs. Dipendrasingh Airi stands as Nepal’s key asset, with his prowess in batting, bowling, and fielding pivotal across all facets of the game.

The top four batsmen comprising opener Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Anil Kumar Shah, and Rohit Paudel hold the responsibility of anchoring Nepal’s innings, with one among them expected to deliver a substantial performance.

With depth in batting, Nepal boasts a robust lower order featuring Sandeep Zora, Dipendra, Gulshan Jha, Karan, and Sompal.

In the previous match, Nepal provided opportunities to Lalit Rajvanshi, Pratish GC, Vivek Yadav, and Akash Chand from the bench, a strategy aligned with their preparation for the upcoming ACC Premier Cup in Oman, slated two weeks later. This approach ensures the bench players also get valuable match time.

Baroda, led by Vishnu Solanki, consists mostly of second-choice players from the Ranji circuit. Solanki, with experience in 41 First Class, 50 List A, and 62 T20 matches, brings leadership to the team. Additionally, Shaswat Rawat, a former U19 cricketer from India, alongside Abhimanyu Singh Rajput and Bhanu Paniya, adds depth to the Baroda squad.

Looking ahead, Nepal will face Gujarat on Wednesday and Baroda on Friday. Should they advance to the final, it will take place on Sunday.