The Nepal Premier League (NPL) is poised for a grand finale when Sudurpaschim Royals take on Janakpur Bolts in the quest for the prestigious title on Saturday. The final match will serve as a true test of talent and tactics, featuring the top two leading teams from the inaugural NPL season at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Saturday.
Both teams have undergone challenging paths to reach this final. Sudurpaschim Royals secured a place in the final by defeating Janakpur Bolts in the first qualifier, showcasing their dominance during the league phase with six wins out of seven matches—their only loss coming against Chitwan Rhinos. Their remarkable consistency has established them as frontrunners to claim the title and walk away with a cash prize of Rs 11 million, the highest prize amount on offer for any sporting event in Nepal.
On the other hand, Janakpur Bolts had a more difficult journey. They finished second in the league with five victories but fell short against Sudurpaschim in the first qualifier. However, they bounced back impressively in the second qualifier, edging out Karnali Yaks by two wickets in a tightly contested match, thanks to New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham's outstanding performance—scoring 45 runs off just 17 balls and taking two wickets.
NPL: Janakpur Bolts secure playoff spot with 5-wicket victory o...
Teamwise, Sudurpaschim's advantage lies in their balanced squad and steady performances. Key players like Scott Kuggeleijn, who has so far taken 13 wickets in seven innings, Binod Bhandari, Brandon McMullen, Saif Zaib, and captain Deependra Singh Airee have been instrumental throughout the league stage. The collective efforts of their batters and bowlers have contributed significantly to their success over Janakpur during both preliminary round and playoffs, allowing them a psychological edge over Janakpur before heading into this final match.
Nonetheless, complacency can pose a significant risk for Sudurpaschim. Given Janakpur's unpredictable nature and talented players like Neesham, Lahiru Milantha, Kishore Mahato, and Lalit Rajbanshi, who has so far claimed 16 wickets, and captain and opener Ashif Sheikh, any errors could be detrimental to them. To secure victory, maintaining discipline and flexibility in strategy will be essential.
Janakpur’s campaign has seen its share of ups and downs. The team was shell-shocked when one of the main batsmen, captain Anil Sah, was ruled unfit to play the qualifiers and final due to a fractured hand. Inconsistencies among top-order batsmen have left Janakpur’s middle order exposed. The absence of their regular captain, Shah, has added to these challenges; however, they've shown resilience with other players stepping up when needed most.
Neesham stands out as Janakpur’s key player—making impactful contributions with bat and ball during critical moments under pressure. Still, depending too much on his capabilities may prove risky if others do not rise to the occasion alongside him. With a disciplined bowling attack led by Kuggeleijn and performances from Sudurpaschim restricting opponents effectively so far, they are likely to target Janakpur’s shaky top order to control play. During their league match, Kuggeleijin and company had restricted Janakpur to 51 runs.
For Janakpur to succeed against Sudurpaschim (having lost twice previously), improving their batting will be key to success in the final. A solid start involving Lahiru Milantha partnered with stand-in captain Ashif Sheikh could shift the momentum if supported later by Neesham’s finishing expertise. Their bowlers also need to bolster strategies aimed at restricting Sudurpaschim to a low reachable score. However, Sudurpaschim will seek dominance through potentially achieving three consecutive victories over Janakpur Bolt while Janakpur will be seeking to achieve its first victory against their archrivals. Securing the first victory against Sudurpaschim will give them the title and much-required redemption from defeats in the league and the first qualifier they suffered at the hands of the Sudurpaschim.
To sum up, with their balanced bowling and batting skills, Sudurpaschim players are frontrunners to lift the NPL trophy and Janakpur can settle for a runners-up title and a cash prize of Rs 5.1 million. However, skills demonstrated by both sides during their league matches have all the ingredients of offering an exciting final of the inaugural season of the NPL on Saturday which can tilt the result to anyone of them.
