This is South African star Faf du Plessis' first match in the NPL. He returned to Nepal from the UAE on Monday after completing the Abu Dhabi T-10 League. However, New Zealand's Martin Guptill will miss his third consecutive match due to injury.
What you should know
Lumbini Lions will field first in Wednesday's Nepal Premier League (NPL) cricket match. Lumbini captain Rohit Poudel won the toss and elected to bat against Biratnagar Kings at the Tribhuvan University Cricket International Ground, Kirtipur.
This is South African star Faf du Plessis' first match in the NPL. He returned to Nepal from the UAE on Monday after completing the Abu Dhabi T-10 League. However, New Zealand's Martin Guptill will miss the third consecutive match due to injury.
Other foreign players in the Biratnagar team include South African fast bowler Merchant de Lange, Scotland's George Muncie and Australia's Sam Hazlett. Sri Lankan Shehan Jayasuriya was injured on Friday while playing his first match in Kathmandu.
Lumbini added Sri Lankan Niroshan Dickwella to the team from the last match. The team has players including D'Arcy Schutt and Ruben Trumpelman. Lumbini has fielded JJ Smit in place of Gulbadin Naib, who is going to play in the IL T-20.
If Biratnagar wins this match, it will be certain of a playoff berth and move closer to Qualifier 1. Biratnagar has already secured a place in the playoffs by winning 4 of its first 5 matches. Biratnagar, which won its first 3 matches, lost to Chitwan Rhinos by 48 runs in the fourth match.
But in the last match, the team returned to the winning path by defeating Karnali Yaks by 3 wickets. Lumbini, on the other hand, is under pressure to win this match to reach the playoffs. Lumbini has won 2 of its 5 matches and lost 3.
Only if they defeat Biratnagar and Janakpur Bolts in their last match, Lumbini will have a chance of securing the playoffs.
