Maldives vs Nepal, AGMT20I, Today Match Prediction 01 October 2023

MDV vs NEP Match Prediction & Analysis

As Maldives take on Nepal in their second group-stage match in Hangzhou, another team from Maldives led by Umar Adam is competing in the T20 World Cup Sub Regional Qualifier in Qatar.

It seems like Maldives have given the Qualifier higher priority as they’ve sent most of their big guns to Qatar. Azin Rafeeq and Hasan Rasheed looked in great touch in the last match as they chased down 62 runs in just 40 balls.

However, that was against Mongolia, a team that conceded 314 runs in their previous outing. Nepal pack a strong bowling attack with the likes of Sandeep Lamichhane, Sompal Kami, and Karan KC. 

They will test the Maldives side and we reckon will have the upper hand too. Moreover, Nepal are playing with their full-strength squad and have some of the most promising and in-form players in the side.

The variety in the Maldives’ bowling attack will be crucial as skipper Hussain Sadhin looks to put the mighty Nepal on the backfoot.

RECENT PERFORMANCE

MDV

NEP

W

NEP

314/3 in 20.0 15.7

AGMT20I

Nepal won by 273 runs

27 Sep 2023

MNG

41/10 in 13.1 3.11

HEAD TO HEAD

TEAMS PREVIEW

Maldives Preview

Hussain Sadhin was leading the Maldives against Mongolia as he made his T20 international debut. And he wasn’t the only player in the side making a debut.

Openers Ismail Ali and Azin Rafiq also made their T20I debut along with wicket-keeper batsman Fareed Shius and 5 other players. Hassan Rasheed is the most experienced player in this side with 18 T20Is to his name.

Rasheed has a crucial role to play at number 3. Azin Rafeeq also showed promise with the bat as the two chased down the target against a weak bowling attack of Maldives.

Nazwan Ismail is the only other player to have played more than one T20I in this lineup. While Ismail will likely feature at number 4, he has scored just 5 runs in 1 innings so far.

It was quite an impressive performance from the bowlers given that they were all debutants. Opener Azin Rafeeq picked up 3 for 10 while Ryan Tholal finished with 2 for 7.

Along with these two, Naseer Naail Ismail and Mohamed Miuvan will be the key bowlers to watch out for. It will not be an easy outing for Maldives against this Nepal side. With a team full of inexperienced players, it is likely to be an uphill battle against an in-form and confident Nepal side.

Maldives Predicted Playing XI:

Rohit Paudel (c), Aasif Sheikh (wk), Kushal Malla, Kushal Bhurtel, Dipendra Singh Airee, Sundeep Jora, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Abinash Bohara, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane

Maldives Actual Playing XI:

Ismail Nazuwan, Muawiyath Ghanee , Hassan Rasheed, Mohamed Miuvan, Ismail Ali, Rasheed Rassam, Rayan Tholal , Fareed Shius, Azin Rafeeq, Hussain Sadhin, Naail Naseer

Nepal Preview

Nepal set a world record in their opening match of the tournament against Mongolia. And now they’re up against a second-string Maldives team that features all the inexperienced players.

Skipper Rohit Paudel should be excited coming into this match. Here is their chance to face one of the top T20I sides of Asia in the Quarter-Finals once again.

They recently played against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh in the Asia Cup in ODIs. And now here is their chance to take on another of these Asian Giants in the Quarter-Finals by beating Maldives in this match.

Openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh scored 19 and 16 runs respectively at a strike rate of below 100 while Nepal finished with a 300+ score. The two will be disappointed that they missed out on a great opportunity.

Aasif Sheikh, in particular, will be one to watch out for. He would come out all guns blazing against the Maldives. Kushal Malla at number 3 followed by skipper Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh form a formidable middle-order.

Sompal Kami and Karan KC will lead the pace attack along with a young and 17-year-old pacer, Gulshan Jha. Lamicchane will be threatening with his left-arm chinaman bowling.

Nepal Predicted Playing XI:

Rohit Paudel (c), Aasif Sheikh (wk), Kushal Malla, Kushal Bhurtel, Dipendra Singh Airee, Sundeep Jora, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Abinash Bohara, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane

Nepal Actual Playing XI:

Binod Bhandari, Aasif Sheikh, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Rohit Kumar Paudel, Sundeep Jora, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gulsan Jha, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sompal Kami, Abinash Bohara

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

While the short boundaries are tempting to bowl first and chase down a total, the pitch may offer great help to the bowlers and it won’t be easy to clear the boundaries in the second innings. A batter needs to settle down before he can hit the long ball. The weather will be partly cloudy with a high of 27 degrees Celsius.

MDV vs NEP Pitch Report

Pingefeng Campus Cricket Field in Hangzhou is the venue for Asian Games Men’s T20I matches. And this match between Maldives and Nepal will also be played on this ground. There’s not much known about the abilities of the batters in the Maldives lineup since they recently made their debut, considering the bowling strength of Nepal and the pitch conditions, we reckon a score of 160+ should be a highly competitive 1st innings total.

Toss: To Bat

Nepal enjoyed their time here after they were put to bat first. And while Maldives excelled after opting to bowl in their last match, we reckon they wouldn’t repeat the same against a much stronger batting lineup of Nepal. Batting first have having runs on the board is the way to go on this ground.