Could anyone have predicted that the most awaited match of the ICC World Qualifiers 2018 would be played between Hong Kong and Nepal? We doubt it. That is of course exactly the case we are presented with. Hong Kong pulled off the upset of the tournament by defeating Afghanistan and are now within reach of qualifying for the Super Six stage of the tournament. Nepal has had a tough time in the tournament so far. The whole of Afghanistan is going to be willing them to perform a veritable miracle for them in this match, though.
Match Preview
Hong Kong
The equation for Hong Kong is simple. They win this match and they qualify. Their net-run rate is far inferior to Afghanistan and so they will not be able to qualify on that basis. All things considered, Hong Kong is going to enter this match as the firm favorite to win.
Hong Kong defeated Afghanistan and also ran Zimbabwe close. Ehsan Khan with 9 wickets is the current highest wicket-taker of the tournament. Anshuman Rath scored a valuable 85 in the last match and also played an important inning against Afghanistan as well.
Hong Kong has also shown itself to be pretty good against spin, which is what Nepal will hit them with. Babar Hayat, Anshuman Rath, and Nizakat Khan are the three batsmen that hold Hong Kong’s fortunes in their hands.
All three of them have been around for quite some time now and know that reaching the Super Six stage will be a massive achievement in itself. They are now close enough to feel the pressure of expectation.
Hong Kong’s bowling has been led by Ehsan Khan but the others have performed admirably as well. Against Nepal, a side which does not have a good batting record, Hong Kong’s bowlers will be expected to finish off the job quickly.
The biggest hurdle that Hong Kong will face in this match is coping with the external pressure surrounding this match. We think they just need to shut it out and play as they have been so far. That should be more than enough for them to win.
Nepal
It took a miracle for Nepal to reach the Qualifiers and it will take another one for them to be able to beat Hong Kong. Talent wise and resources wise, there is not too much that separates these sides. Experience wise, however, Hong Kong is far ahead.
It is unfair to bog down Nepal with the task of helping Afghanistan qualify because that is just not their job. However, the match against Hong Kong would definitely be one that Nepal would have targeted as a potential victory even before the tournament began.
Nepal needs to figure out it’s batting if it has to even come close to a win. Paras Khadka, their skipper, has been a one-man show for Nepal up until now. With runs against Afghanistan, Scotland, and a start against Zimbabwe, Khadka will need to play the inning of his life in this match.
If a few of the other batsmen can chip in with some runs then maybe Nepal can put some pressure on the Hong Kong team. Nath at the top of the order and Vesawkar in the middle are the two players that we think could help Paras Khadka in providing runs for Nepal.
Lamichhane and Sompal Kami bowled very well for Nepal in the last match. We actually think that Nepal has a decent bowling lineup for this match. Hong Kong does not have the power hitters to take a toll on the Nepali medium-pacers or hit the spinners out of the attack.
Nepal can bowl line and length to build up the pressure on the Hong Kong batsmen and then hope to induce some mistakes. We think the best chance for Nepal to win this match would be to bat first, get a decent total on the board, and then bowl out of their skins.
Pitch and Conditions
The weather forecast for match day is excellent. Only a 10% chance of rain has been predicted and we are very hopeful of getting a full, uninterrupted match in. The pitch at Bulawayo has not been the most helpful to spinners. It also showed signs of slowing up in the last couple of matches so taking pace off the ball could be the way to go.
Our Prediction
Hong Kong beat Nepal soundly the last two times these teams met. We think they will repeat the dose this time as well.
Hong Kong to win.
The post Hong Kong vs Nepal, ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2018 – Betting Tips appeared first on Cricket Betting.
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