Big Picture: Sri Lanka Advance on Seeding if Weather Intervenes
The tournament’s last four fixtures have yielded three abandonments without a toss and one halt after 15 overs. Should the Nepal versus Sri Lanka encounter suffer a similar fate, the higher-seeded Sri Lankans would progress to the semi-finals to face India, joining Pakistan in the last four.
Nepal entered the competition in scintillating form, toppling a second-string Afghanistan side—ranked four places above them—behind a spin masterclass from Kushal Bhurtel and Lalit Rajbanshi. That victory extended a T20I winning streak to six matches across six different opponents and three nations. It followed a memorable T20 World Cup campaign where Nepal pushed England to the brink and dismantled Scotland in Mumbai.
Should conditions allow play in Nisshin, Nepal will fancy their chances against a side mired in a prolonged slump. Sri Lanka were whitewashed 3-0 in England just ten days ago, failing to reach 150 in any innings while conceding run-rates of 12 or more per over. Prior to that, they lost a T20I series 2-1 in the Caribbean and exited the T20 World Cup with four consecutive defeats, including a loss to Zimbabwe.
Sri Lanka’s last victory dates back to June, as does their most recent total above 150; they have not surpassed 200 since February. The stage is set for an engrossing contest, weather permitting.
Nepal Form (Last 5 completed): W W W W W (most recent first)
Sri Lanka Form (Last 5 completed): L L L L W
Key Players: Bhurtel’s Power vs Dickwella’s Return
Despite a couple of quiet outings in this tournament, Kushal Bhurtel remains Nepal’s premier batter in 2024, amassing 522 runs at a staggering strike rate of 180 and an average of 47.45. Last month, he strung together three consecutive half-centuries and five straight scores of 35-plus in Australia’s Top End Series against opposition from Australia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. With three T20I centuries to his name, his explosive hitting poses a severe test for an inexperienced Sri Lankan attack.
Niroshan Dickwella returns to the T20I fold for the first time since 2021, recalled despite a modest Lanka Premier League campaign where he managed 110 runs in six innings at 18.33. However, recent form suggests a resurgence; he struck a fluent 80 off 115 balls in the first Test against India. A strong showing on Tuesday would remind selectors why he was once an all-format fixture for Sri Lanka.
Nepal will lean heavily on their experienced bowling unit, particularly adept in the damp conditions expected.
Probable Line-ups
Nepal (Probable): 1 Kushal Bhurtel, 2 Aasif Sheikh (wk), 3 Sundeep Jora, 4 Kushal Malla, 5 Gulsan Jha, 6 Lokesh Bam, 7 Rohit Paudel, 8 Dipendra Singh Airee (capt), 9 Sandeep Lamichhane, 10 Lalit Rajbanshi, 11 Sompal Kami
Like most Full Member nations in the tournament barring India, Sri Lanka have dispatched a developmental squad to Japan. Ashen Bandara and Dickwella provide the only significant international experience in a group featuring four uncapped players, led by Sahan Arachchige.
Sri Lanka (Probable): 1 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 2 Lasith Croospulle, 3 Sahan Arachchige (capt), 4 Nuwanidu Fernando, 5 Ashen Bandara, 6 Chamika Karunaratne, 7 Tharindu Ratnayake, 8 Wanuja Sahan, 9 Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, 10 Nuwan Thushara, 11 Binura Fernando
Weather and Pitch Report
No play has been possible in Nisshin since Saturday, when Nepal raced to 149 for 4 in 15 overs against the hosts before rain forced an abandonment. The forecast for Tuesday remains ominous, with persistent rain predicted until at least 6:00 PM local time against a scheduled 9:00 AM start.