Although, only a couple of unfavorable results ,including in the match between Singapore and Jersey at the IOE Ground, would put Nepal out of the final, the hosts want to ensure the qualification to WCL Div 4 with yet another victory.[break]
“We know our qualification is not ensured,” captain Paras Khadka said. “We are focused on winning the game and not on the net run-rate.”
Should Singapore beat Jersey and USA beat Nepal by heavy margins, Singapore and USA can qualify to the final ahead of Nepal. “If we win, we don´t have to worry,” Paras added.
Nepal is atop the table with four wins while USA and Singapore have three wins each. Nepal also has a better net run rate - which will come into action if the points of three teams are equal.
Two years ago, Nepal beat USA in the third-place play-off of the WCL Div 5 in Jersey. “We know them,” Paras said, adding that USA are a good side and they will not be taken lightly.
“I hope it will be a good game,” he said. “USA will give us a good fight.”
Nepal will be hoping big from spinnes - who have played crucial roles in Nepal´s earlier wins. Left-arm spinner Basanta Regmi has taken 11 wickets, off-spinner Sanjam Regmi nine and left-arm spinner Shakti Gauchan five.
Basanta shares the leading wicket-taker´s position with USA´s medium pacer Kevin Darlington. “Spinners had played big role so far and obviously I hope them to continue,” Paras said.
Nepal´s problem areas seem to be the opening batting and pace bowling. Although pacers Binod Das and Mehboob Alam have done well with restricting runs, they are yet to impact big on a match.
Mehboob and Dipendra Chaudhary have failed as openers in all four matches and the team might chose Anil Mandal ahead of Dipendra given that Anil can also bowl useful leg-spin.
“The batting has been gone well so far, but I hope the openers will do better,” Paras added.
Paras, Sharad Vesawkar and Shakti will be key in the batting lineup as they have played well consistently while Basanta has proved a good all-rounder.
For USA, they will rely more on hard-hitting batsmen including Lennox Cush, who is well-experienced of first-class with Guyana, captain Steve Massiah, A Thyagarajan, Rashard Marshall and Chris Wright.
The match, almost do or die for both the team, will be broadcast live on Nepal Television.
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