Rohit Paudel finally called right at the toss and, with a small smile, asked Scotland to bat first in Mumbai. It is Nepal’s last outing at this T20 World Cup; neither side can reach the Super Eight, but a win still matters to both camps.
One change for Nepal: Sundeep Jora replaces seamer Karan KC. Paudel said his group “would love to bat well” after quiet efforts against West Indies and Italy, yet on this surface he feels a chase makes more sense. Early batting, he reminded everyone, has been “difficult” for the first four-five overs; runs flow more freely once that stretch is out of the way.
Scotland captain Richie Berrington has kept things simple, naming an unchanged XI. The Scots played their opening three fixtures in Kolkata and, new ground or not, Berrington wants his team “to adapt well” to unfamiliar conditions. They edged Italy but fell to England and West Indies, so finishing positively is the brief.
Conditions
This is Nepal’s fourth straight match at the Wankhede. The ball has nipped about early in the afternoon heat and, later on, the outfield quickens up under lights. Crowd-wise, expect another wall of red and blue Nepali flags, with a splatter of Saltires for balance.
Teams
Nepal: Aasif Sheikh (wk), Kushal Bhurtel, Rohit Paudel (c), Dipendra Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Sundeep Jora, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane.
Scotland: George Munsey, Michael Jones, Brandon McMullen, Richie Berrington (c), Tom Bruce, Michael Leask, Matthew Cross (wk), Mark Watt, Oliver Davidson, Brad Wheal, Brad Currie.
First ball shortly. Both sides want to sign off neatly; the fans, who have followed loyally, deserve at least that.
