NEP (Nepal) vs SAU (Saudi Arabia) Match Prediction
National teams
Mulpani Cricket Ground
Facts
- Lamichhanne is the leading wicket-taker in the edition, with six scalps from two games.
- Bhim Sharki and Kushal Malla have both made over 100 runs for Nepal.
- Abdul Waheed of Saudi Arabia has 160 runs, with a century, and is the side’s leading run-scorer.
Nepal vs Saudi Arabia Chance of Winning
Nepal have a strong team, with presence of experienced batters, bowlers and all-rounders, who have been in good form in the last few matches. They are likely to trump Saudi Arabia in this encounter due to their impressive form in the last few months.
- Nepal chance of winning - 87%
- Saudi Arabia chance of winning - 13%
Nepal vs Saudi Arabia Prediction & Betting Tips 2022
Nepal and Saudi Arabia will be up against each other in an exciting encounter in the ACC Premier League 2023.
Nepal have secured victories in both league matches of the tournament. In the first game against Malaysia, the Nepalese team restricted the opposition to 235, with Sompal Kami and Sandeep Lamichhane picking three wickets each. With the bat, Bhim Sharki (71) and Rohit Paudel (42) were impressive to give the team the advantage, while Kushal Malla’s knock of 70 off 40 helped seal the chase under 37 overs and boost the run-rate.
In the second game against a tough opponent, Oman, Nepal batted first. They again lost their openers cheaply, with Sharki (33), Rohit Paudel (23) and Aarif Sheikh (29) pulling the team out of pressure. However, the show-stealer was Malla, who slammed 108 off 64 to pave the way for Nepal to 310. Lamichhane and Karan KC picked three wickets apiece to record a 84-run victory for the team.
Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, have prevailed in one of two league matches. In the first game, they lost against Malaysia, while failing to defend 153. In the second game, they faced Qatar, who had a 2-1 record against them. Ishtiaq Ahmad scalped four wickets, while Atif-Ur-Rehman, Zain-ul-Abidin and Abdul Waheed Baladraf picked two wickets apiece to restrict Qatar to 216.
In the batting department, Abdul Waheed and Waqar Ul Hassan provided a blistering start to the Saudi Arabia team. Both batters were terrific with their ability to churn out runs consistently and stitch a 118-run partnership, before Hassan perished for 55. However, Waheed continued his good work to score 124 off 108 balls, while Hisham Shaikh scored 21* to seal the game for the team.
It will be interesting to witness if the Saudi Arabian bowling unit will be able to challenge the experienced and in-form Nepal batting unit. It will certainly be an upset if Nepal find a way to lose this match, which would also open the doors of next stage for other teams as well.
Weather Report
There is a 60% chance of rain at Kathmandu on Monday, with humidity of over 50%. The temperatures are likely to cool down to around 20 - 22 degree celsius. Many of the matches have been disturbed by the frequent rain during the tournament.
Nepal Player List
Nepal squad:Rohit Paudel (C), Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Gyanendra Malla, Kushal Malla, Aarif Sheikh, Sompal Kami, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulshan Jha, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Bhim Sharki, Pratish GC, Lalit Rajbanshi
Predicted Playing XI
|
Name |
Role |
|
Kushal Bhurtel |
Batter |
|
Aasif Sheikh |
Wicket-keeper |
|
Bhim Sharki |
Batter |
|
Rohit Paudel |
Batter |
|
Aarif Sheikh |
Batter |
|
Kushal Malla |
All-Rounder |
|
Dipendra Singh Airee |
All-rounder |
|
Sompal Kami |
Bowler |
|
Sandeep Lamichhane |
Bowler |
|
Karan KC |
Bowler |
|
Lalit Rajbanshi |
Bowler |
Nepal Team Form
Earlier this month, the Nepal team secured a place in the ODI World Cup Qualifier set to be played in June-July in Zimbabwe. They registered six successive wins, while beating a strong United Arab Emirates outfit by nine runs in their last game to register a thrilling victory.
In this tournament, they are on a two-game winning streak and would look to continue the domination.
Saudi Arabia Player List
Saudi Arabia squad: Abdul Waheed, Irshad Mubbashar, Muhammad Ahmad Raza, Muzaffar Majeed, Usman Najeeb, Zain, -ul-Abidin, Abdul Manan Ali, Ahmed Abdul Waheed Baladraf, Atif-Ur-Rehman, Imran Arif, Mohammed Hisham Shaikh, Saad Khan, Zuhair Muhammad, Haseeb Ghafoor (Wk), Abdul Wahid, Imran Yousaf, Ishtiaq Ahmad, Waqar Ul Hassan
Predicted Playing XI
|
Name |
Role |
|
Waqar Ul Hassan |
Batter |
|
Abdul Waheed |
Batter |
|
Imran Arif |
Batter |
|
Saad Khan |
Batter |
|
Abdul Manan Ali |
Batter |
|
Mohammed Hisham Shaikh (c) |
All-rounder |
|
Zain-ul-Abidin |
All-rounder |
|
Haseeb Ghafoor (Wk) |
Wicket-keeper |
|
Atif-Ur-Rehman |
Bowler |
|
Abdul Wahid |
Bowler |
|
Ishtiaq Ahmad |
Bowler |
Saudi Arabia Team Form
Saudi Arabia have been rather average with their performances in the T20s and List-A format in the last few months. In this tournament, they have wins in one of two league matches.
They will need to find consistency in the contributions of their batters and bowlers to find back their lost confidence. Nevertheless, they are coming into this game with a seven-wicket victory and will look to continue the same form.
Nepal vs Saudi Arabia Head to Head
Both teams have met only once in a T20 format in the Asian Cricket Council Twenty20 Cup. Batting first, Nepal posted 183 on the board, with Mahaboob Alam top-scoring with 88 off 41 balls. Khawar Sohail picked four wickets for Saudi Arabia.
In reply, the Saudi Arabian team were blown away by the bowling attack of Nepal, with Sanjam Regmi and Paras Khadka taking three wickets each.
Nepal vs Saudi Arabia Betting Odds
Rohit Paudel - Bhim Sharki to stitch highest partnership for Nepal
The middle-order batters of Nepal, Rohit Paudel and Bhim Sharki have been in bright form in the last few tournaments. In the first game of ACC Premier League, they stitched a partnership off 66 runs against Malaysia.
In the second game against Oman, the duo displayed their resilience to help the team recover from 0/2 to construct a 54-run partnership. A 50+ partnership is expected from both batters in this game as well.
Nepal vs Saudi Arabia Top Team Batsmen
Kushal Malla to be Nepal’s best batter
The middle-order batter has scored the most runs for Nepal in the tournament. In the first game against Malaysia, Kushal scored 70 off 40, with five fours and as many sixes.
In the subsequent game against Oman, the elegant batter slammed 108 off 64 balls, with 10 sixes and nine fours. He is expected to continue his good form and again emerge as the top batter for Nepal.
Abdul Waheed to be Saudi Arabia’s best batter
Abdul Waheed, the experienced opening batter is the top run-scorer for the Saudi Arabia team in the tournament. In the first game, he scored a crucial 36 to help the team post a competitive total. The second game witnessed him scoring a stroke-filled 124 off 108 balls, with 21 fours and a six.
Nepal vs Saudi Arabia Top Team Bowlers
Sandeep Lamichhane to be Nepal’s best bowler
One of the most experienced bowlers in Nepal,Sandeep Lamichhane has the knack of securing consistent breakthroughs for the side. He finished with figures of 3/48 against Malaysia, and returned with 3/45 against Oman.
He has over 100 wickets in 42 ODIs, with an average of 15.40, and best figures of 6/11. The 22-year-old certainly is the best bowling pick from Nepal.
Zain-Ul-Abidin to be Saudi Arabia’s best bowler
The left-arm spinner has displayed consistency in terms of his wicket-taking abilities. Zain returned with figures of 2/46 in the first game against Malaysia. Then, his impressive spell of 2/39 paved the way for Saudi Arabia to register an easy win for the team, and is likely to be among the key wicket-takers in the game.
Our Prediction
Favorites to win: Nepal
Although both teams have not been against each other in international cricket in official matches, Nepal enter the tournament as favorites. They have entered the race for ICC World Cup 2023 Qualifiers and will be high on confidence.
- Nepal to win @ 1.15 (Melbet)
- Saudi Arabia to win @ 5.45 (Melbet)
