The match will be crucial for both the sides since victory will keep them in contention for the ICC World Cup Qualifiers to be held in Bangladesh in 2018.
Among the eight teams contesting in the WCL championship, the top four teams after playing double round robin league will book their tickets for the World Cup Qualifiers. Each team has to face every other team in twice in the league. In total, every team has to play 14 matches.
Nepal defeats Namibia by 3 wickets in ICC World Cup League-2
After playing four matches, Nepal is yet to open score and is languishing in the bottom of the table in the eight-team contest. Playing equal number of matches as of Nepal, visiting Namibia is sixth with two points after it managed to pull one-wicket win over Hong Kong in May. But Namibia lost the second leg match. Namibia also lost both of its matches played against Kenya.
Nepal, meanwhile, lost both leg matches against Scotland in July and August and Papua New Guinea in November last year.
In such scenario, both teams have said that they have taken the matches seriously and have vowed to leave no stone unturned for winning outcome. While Namibia is wary of the home crowd and said that it could make a difference in the performance, Nepal has said that the home crowd would be a motivating factor for the team.
"It is a big game for both of us," Namibia skipper Stephen Baard said.
"This is the first time we are in Nepal and we don't know what to expect. However, both teams are looking for points through two matches. So it is obviously a big day," he said adding, "Nepal wants to win as much as we want so both teams are going to come hard."
Baard admitted that it would be difficult to play against huge home crowd.
His counterpart Paras Khadka of Nepal said that the crowd would be a motivating factor rather than pressure for his side. "We are used to playing in front of big crowd and we hope that the crowd would motivate us. The important thing is that we get motivated by crowd and we play our own game for Nepal rather than for the crowd."
In the past, the two sides have played twice in the 50-over format with both sides winning a match each. They met for the first time in ICC Trophy's group stage in 2001. On the occasion, Namibia surpassed Nepal's 132-run target and also qualified for the 2003 World Cup. Meanwhile, Nepal registered a 3-wicket win over Namibia at its home in the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 last year.
Namibia wary of pitch condition
Not only Namibia is wary of the home crowd, but it is also equally cautious of the spinner-friendly pitch of the TU grounds. "We are prepared for a month playing on pitch like this. We are also prepared to face Nepal but we don't know what to expect after travelling so far. But we have to raise our game to beat Nepal," Namibia coach Dee Thakur said.
"Spin seems to be the strength of Nepal, but we have our plans and we bat well with white ball (the ball used in 50-over matches). There is so much grass on the field and it makes us confident." Thakur said. "It will be a great experience to play against Nepal at their home ground under massive crowd. Our team is young and we are going through change and we are in the same level with Nepal."
Nepal's coach Jagat Tamata said that his side was all prepared -- mentally and physical -- for the match. Tamata also said that spin is the greatest strength of his side and they have been playing in the TU grounds since a month.
He was equally wary of Namibia's threat as well. "Namibia is playing in Division 1 since more than a decade. Thus, the side that clicks shall win the match," he said. "However, we shall have the advantage of home ground and crowd. They will surely be under pressure to play against our vibrant crowd."
"We will play for win and we have been preparing for this. We have also planned accordingly and we could win if we play responsibly," said Tamata.
Gyanendra, Naresh likely opening batsmen of Nepal
Nepal's coach Tamata has planned to pair vice-captain Gyanendra Malla with Naresh Budhayer as openers. Nepal's regular openers Subash Khakurel and Anil Mandal have been ruled out of the matches due to injuries. "Most of the things will be determined tomorrow (match day). However, Gyanendra and Naresh are likely to come as the opening pair followed by Paras," said Tamata.
Tamata also hinted to include new faces Raju Rijal and Sandip Lamichanne in the playing XI. Rijal is most likely to come up as number four batsman. Sandip, the leg spinner who claimed five wickets against Ireland including a hat-trick in the ICC U-19 World Cup, came into limelight with his sensational bowling.
No difference in team level
Nepal is organizing international match at the home turf after three years since hosting the ACC Trophy Elite in April 2013 and Nepal's skipper Paras Khadka says that things will not be easy against Namibia.
"We had to wait long to host the international match. But it won't be easy to play against Namibia. This is Division 1 match and there is not much difference in level of team at this level."
"We expect to make new beginning tomorrow and we will try our best."
