Sikkim vs Manipur Match Prediction

The Ranji Trophy 2022-23 season, which begins on Tuesday, December 13, will feature as many as 19 matches in the first round. Manipur and Sikkim, who are in the plate group, will also begin their campaigns on the same day at the SICCA ground, Rangpo. The four-day event will begin at 9:30 AM IST. In the last season, both the sides won and lost a match each after playing their respective three games in the Plate Group.

Bet on Ranji Trophy

Sikkim vs Manipur Chance of Winning

Last season Sikkim beat Manipur by 190 runs in their last group game. In the season prior to the last, Sikkim had won the game by 232 runs so Manipur will have to play out of their skins to challenge Sikkim in this game. None of these two sides won a single game in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy and finished at the bottom of the table in their respective groups.

Despite the last head to head matchup, Manipur have been handed the favorites tag by Melbet who have offered odds of 1.65 for a Manipur win. The implied probability of Manipur winning the game, according to the odds, stands at a cool 60.61%. The oddsmakers have handed respectable odds of 2.1 to Sikkim to pull off another win which leaves them with an implied probability of 47.62%.

Our Prediction

Despite Melbet’s decision to hand Manipur the favorites tag, we have to say that Sikkim are firm favourites to win this game. The reasons behind this are self-evident. In their last two Ranji Trophy matches against Manipur, the team defeated them without much trouble. In the 2019-20 Ranji season, Manipur finished 7th in the Plate Group and Sikkim 10th. However, Sikkim’s only win came against Manipur in that season.

• Sikkim to win - 2.1 (Melbet)
• Manipur to win - 1.65 (Melbet)

Sikkim vs Manipur Prediction & Betting Tips 2022

While both teams were placed in the same group - Plate - in last season’s Ranji Trophy, they played different opponents. Manipur were handed a draw against Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram while Sikkim played games against Nagaland and Bihar. The third match was a head to head match between the two sides. Manipur started their campaign with a thrashing of Arunachal as they ran out winners by an innings and 25 runs. Sikkim, though, had to endure a defeat in the first game as Nagaland swept past them by six wickets. In the next round of fixtures, both teams played out draws against their respective opponents as Manipur were held to a draw by Mizoram and Sikkim held Bihar to a draw. Both teams claimed extra points though as they outscored their opponents in the first innings. Next up was the head to head matchup between the two teams. Sikkim came to the fore with a great performance as they sealed a 190 run win to finish just a point shy of Manipur.

Toss Prediction

SICA will host the first-ever Ranji Trophy game when these two sides face each other on 13th December. So it is difficult to predict what the team winning the toss would like to do. But since it is the home ground for Sikkim, they clearly will have an advantage if they win the toss.

Weather Report

The weather in Rangpo, Sikkim is expected to be mostly Sunny on Tuesday (December 13). The temperature is expected to hover around 25 degree Celsius. 62 percent humidity and wind speed of 8 kmph is the forecast. Weather conditions on Day 2, 3 and 4 are also expected to be the same.

Sikkim Player List

Sikkim squad:

Akash Luitel, Ankur Malik, Nitesh Gupta, Kiran Regmi, Nilesh Lamichaney, Lee Yong Lepcha, Md Saptulla, Pankaj Rawat, Anwesh Sharma, Jeetendra Sharma, Sumit Singh, Palzor Tamang, Chitiz Tamang, Tarun Sharma, Ashish Thapa

Sikkim Predicted XI

Anwesh Sharma	Batsman
Chitiz Tamang	Batsman and WK
Anwesh Sharma	Batsman
Ashish Thapa	Batsman
KIran Regmi	Batsman
Lee Yong Lepcha	All-rounder
Ankur Malik	All-rounder
Sumit Singh	All-rounder
Tarun Sharma	Bowler
Palzor Tamang	Bowler
Nitesh Gupta	Bowler

Sikkim Team Form

Ankur Malik scored 198 runs in 3 games last season at a strike rate of 105.88 so his form will be crucial for the team. Sumit Singh meanwhile was their highest run scorer in the VHT 2022-23. He scored 188 runs in 7 games. As far as bowling is concerned Tamang picked up 12 wickets in 3 games which included a five-wicket haul. In VHT 2022, Sumit Singh was the highest wicket-taker here again with 11 wickets in 7 games.

Manipur Player List

Manipur Squad:

Ahmed Shah, Basir Rahman, Bikash Singh, Johnson Singh, Langlonyamba Meitan Keishangbam, L Kishan Singha, Bishworjit Konthoujam, Ronald Longjam, Prafullomani Singh, Pheiroijam Singh, Kishan Thokchom, Kangabam Singh, Rex Rajkumar, Karnajit Yumnam

Kangabam Singh	Batsman
Ahmed Shah	Batsman
Johnson Singh	Batsman
Prafullomani Singh	Batsman
Karnajit Yumnam	Batsman
Langlonyamba Meitan Keishangbam	Batsman
Rex Rajkumar	All-rounder
L Kishan Singha	All-rounder
Kishan Thokchom	Bowler
Bikash Singh	Bowler
BS Konthoujam	Bowler

Manipur Team Form

Al Bashid Muhammed was the highest run scorer for Manipur in Ranji Trophy last season with 265 runs in 5 innings with a high score of 150. However, he is not in the squad this time around. Onus of the batting department will be on Kangabam Singh who scored 184 runs in three matches at an average of 46 last season. Keishangbam was the leading run-scorer in VHT 2022 with 165 runs in 6 innings. As far as their bowling is concerned, BS Konthoujam was the leading wicket-taker with 15 wickets in 6 innings. In VHT 2022, Bikash Singh picked up 8 wickets in 6 innings.

Sikkim vs Manipur Head to Head

Both these sides have faced each other thrice in the Ranji Trophy and on all three occasions, Sikkim has come victorious.

Sikkim vs Manipur Betting Odds

Sikkim to win

Sikkim have high chances of winning this encounter. The reason behind it is their spectacular record against Manipur . In their last two Ranji Trophy matches against the opposition, Sikkim have won each of their three first-class matches against Manipur. They first won in 2018 by an innings and 27-run margin. The two sides clashed again in 2022 as Sikkim clinched the match by a massive 232-run margin. In 2022, Sikkim thrashed Manipur by 190 runs. Notably in the 2019-20 Ranji season, Manipur finished 7th in the plate group and Sikkim 10th. However, Sikkim’s only win came against Manipur in that season.

Sikkim vs Manipur Top Team Batters

Ankur Malik to be Sikkim’s top batter

The 19-year-old has played only 4 First Class games but in those games, he has 279 runs in 6 innings with the best score of 126 not out. In the upcoming season, Malik will be a key batter for Sikkim’s all-rounder.

Rex Rajkumar to be Manipur’s top batter

Rex has already made a name for himself in the domestic circuit. Apart from the 46 wickets the left-arm pacer has taken in 14 games, he also has 534 runs in 26 innings at a strike rate of 72.35 with three half-centuries. Rex scored 62 and 18 runs when he last faced Sikkim in March this year.

Sikkim vs Manipur Top Team Bowlers

Palzor Tamang to be Sikkim’s top bowler

Sikkim right-arm medium pacer Palzor Tamang was the pick of the bowlers for his team in the last season, taking 12 wickets at an average of 20.41. The 29-year-old had picked three wickets in the match against Manipur earlier this year. Overall, he has played 15 first-class matches and picked 33 wickets at an average of 29.48.

Bishworjit Konthoujam to be Manipur’s top bowler

Manipur medium pacer Bishworjit Konthoujam was the highest wicket-taker for his team in the 2021-22 season. He picked 15 wickets in three matches at an average of 21. Overall, he has picked 64 wickets in 21 first-class matches at an average of 28.98. The 26-year-old picked four wickets for 96 runs in the first innings of his team’s clash against Sikkim in March this year.