18 June, America (Dallas). Before the ICC T20 World Cup, the poor form of openers Asif Sheikh and Kushal Bhurtel has become a matter of concern for Nepal. Although the performance has been weak in the last 6 months, Nepal continued to play openers Kushal and Asif, who have been in the team since 2021, in the World Cup.
However, both of them have not been able to hold their rhythm. It has affected the batting and performance of the team as a whole. Kushal’s performance in 16 T20I matches since November 2023 is 26, 11, 31, 0, 0, 12, 20, 2, 59, 5, 24, 12, 32, 0, 0, 0 runs.
Last May, Kushal scored 16, 2, 1, 13 runs in the T-20 match against West Indies A at TU’s home ground and only 10 runs in the warm-up match against Canada.
Another opener and wicketkeeper Asif Shaikh has also averaged runs from his bat. Since November 2023, Asif has scored 5, 64, 6, 6, 34, 1, 8, 47, 32, 52, 40, 2, 8 and 5 runs in T20Is. Since November, Kushal and Asif have 1 half century each in T20I recognized matches.
In April 2021, Asif and Kushal shared a century partnership of 116 runs against the Netherlands in their debut match at the TU Cricket Ground in the T20I triangular series. Asif and Kushal, who started with a century partnership, have not been able to continue the performance since then.
In the same triangular series, he shared an opening partnership of 102 against Malaysia and 85 runs against Singapore in 2023.
At Al Amret in April 2023, he shared a 70-run partnership against Hong Kong in the group stage of the ACC Premier Cup. That is the highest partnership between Asif and Kushal in T20Is on foreign soil.
These two openers could not open the account of runs against UAE in the semi-finals of the ACC Premier Cup, Hong Kong in the third place and Saudi Arabia in the group stage. He shared 18 runs with Qatar and 49 runs with Malaysia.
Then he shared zero runs in the fourth match and 13 runs in the fifth match against the West Indies. Asif and Kushal shared 6 and 8 runs in two T20 practice matches against Houston Hurricanes this week. He shared 18 runs with Canada.
Before the World Cup, Nepal looked at Anil Shah, Lokesh Bam and Vinod Bhandari as backup openers. Anil, who was included in the World Cup team as a backup opener, has batted at number three in recent matches.
Is there a possibility of a change in the opening pair?
Due to continuous poor performance, the Nepali team is starting to hear that the opening pair should be changed. On Tuesday, Nepal will start the World Cup by playing against the Netherlands.
Nepal, who has an ambitious dream of Super-8, needs a win in the first match. But to make or complete a huge total, the opener has to give a good start. Average performance seems to make it difficult to beat the associate top team.
Nepal should take a big risk if they continue or change the opening pair of Kushal and Asif who are in a bad rhythm. If they want to change, Anil and Kushal Malla will be in the 15 member team of Nepal that will play the World Cup.
Kushal Malla has scored 55 runs in 3 T20I matches for Nepal. Opening with Gyanendra Malla in 2020, Kushal played an unbeaten innings of zero against Malaysia, 19 against Hong Kong and 36 against Thailand in the ACC Eastern Region.
He has scored 258 runs in 9 matches in T20Is at number three. He scored a 137-run century against Mongolia at number three in September. Being a skilled explosive batter, he can take advantage of the power play and perform well. Anil is the regular opener of the team.
But Nepal’s captain Rohit Paudel says that it is not right to change the opening in T20 World Cup.
Now I think it would be best if the opening pair is not changed at the last minute. We have brought everyone together for one and a half years’, says captain Rohit, ‘If you come and change at the last moment, the atmosphere will deteriorate. 1/2 game is up and down. But we are very hopeful that both of them will do well.’
Rohit is confident that the performance of the regular opener will improve and adds, ‘I am confident that the opener and the number three batsman will give a good start. Everyone should step up. Opening is a very important role. On that day, the entire batting unit of the team which has a good opening will advance the moments.’
Nepal chased the target of 184 runs given by Canada in the first warm-up match, Nepal was all out for 120 runs and lost by 63 runs.
Rohit says that both Canada and America are good teams. Canada defeated Scotland and UAE in both matches in the ICC World Cup League-2 last March. This week, the US defeated Bangladesh in the first two of three games in Houston.
In order to go to the World Cup with high morale, Nepal has to beat the home team USA. But it won’t be easy to beat America, which includes players like former New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson. America came to Dallas from Houston with high morale after beating Bangladesh.
All associate teams have developed. There is an equal balance. The match with America is also on the same field and pitch as the match with Canada. We have to take advantage of the wicket and work according to the plan’, says captain Rohit.
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