Nepal vs UAE Prediction: Nepal are favourites to lift the trophy

Nepal and UAE are going head to head in the final game of the three-nation T20 series held at Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground, Gokarneshwor, Nepal on 27th October. Nepal has dominated their opponents throughout the tournament winning four out of four games they played in. Who will win this game and lift the trophy?

Nepal's top-order batting will be led by Kushal Bhurtel, while the middle order will feature key players such as captain Rohit Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee, Aasif Sheikh, and Kushal Malla. The team boasts several valuable all-rounders, including wicketkeeper-batsmen Aasif Sheikh and Binod Bhandari, Rohit Paudel, and Karan KC. Nepal's bowling attack will be spearheaded by bowlers such as Abinash Bohara, Rohit Paudel, Pratis GC, Lalit Rajbanshi, and Sompal Kami.

Nepal enters this match on a four-game winning streak, having secured victory in all of their group-stage matches. Their most recent game played on October 23rd in the same competition against the UAE, resulted in a five-wicket win for Nepal. The match took place at Mulpani, with the UAE team batting first and posting a total of 164 runs for the loss of seven wickets.

Nepal responded well with the bat and successfully chased down the target with five wickets to spare in 19.2 overs. Dipendra Singh Airee was named the player of the match for his 40 runs from 15 balls. Two Nepal bowlers, Sompal Kami and Abinash Bohara, took two wickets each. Kami conceded 33 runs in his four overs, while Bohara gave away 28 runs from his four overs. During the early stages of the Nepal innings, wicketkeeper-batsman Aasif Sheikh displayed good form, but it was skipper Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee who ultimately guided the team to victory.

K Bhurtel, S Jora, Pratis GC, Rohit Kumar Paudel (C), Dipendra Singh Airee, Kushal Malla, Asif Sheikh (wk), Gulshan Kumar Jha, Karan KC, Sompal Kami, Lalit Rajbanshi

In contrast to Nepal, the UAE team enters this match on the back of two consecutive losses. Their most recent match in the competition was against Hong Kong in Mulpani. Hong Kong batted first, posting a total of 212 runs for the loss of 3 wickets from their allotted 20 overs. In response, the United Arab Emirates managed 143 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in their 20 overs, resulting in a comfortable 69-run victory for Hong Kong. Babar Hayat from Hong Kong was named the player of the match for his impressive 60 runs from 20 balls.

The three wickets taken during the Hong Kong innings were attributed to three different UAE bowlers. Nilansh Keswani, Sanchit Sharma, and Akif Raja each claimed a wicket. Nilansh Keswani stood out as the most economical bowler, conceding only 13 runs from his four overs, including a maiden over. However, the other UAE bowlers were less successful, with Akif Raja also delivering a reasonable performance by giving away 15 runs from his two overs.

While several United Arab Emirates batters managed to get starts and scored in the 30s, none of them were able to convert their starts into substantial scores. This inability to build big partnerships was a significant factor contributing to the UAE's unsuccessful chase. The target set by Hong Kong was challenging, and the UAE bowlers must prepare for a tough task in their upcoming match against Nepal. Facing an even stronger batting lineup, including Khalid Shah, Nilansh Keswani, Basil Hameed, and Alishan Sharafu, the UAE bowlers need to step up and deliver a solid performance.

Waseem Muhammad (C), Asif Khan, A Sharafu, Basil Hameed, A Naseer, Nilansh Keswani, Khalid Shah, V Aravind (wk), Jash Giyanani, Zahoor Khan, Raja Akifullah Khan

In the 19 T20 matches held at this venue, the team batting first emerged victorious in 11 games, while the team chasing won 7. Therefore, the captain winning the toss might opt to bat first in this particular venue. The average score in the first innings here is 157 runs. While the conditions generally favor the batsmen, the spin bowlers can take advantage of the conditions in the latter part of the match. The highest total ever recorded at this venue was 238 runs for the loss of 3 wickets, achieved by Nepal against the Netherlands.

The weather forecast for this game in Kirtipur, Nepal, indicates hazy sunshine, with temperatures hovering around 24 degrees. While there is a slight possibility of rain during the game, it is more likely that we will witness a complete and uninterrupted cricket match.

Nepal has performed excellently in the four matches they have played in the competition, maintaining an unbeaten record. Meanwhile, the UAE's entry into this game is primarily due to a superior net run rate compared to Hong Kong. Therefore, it would be a wise choice to bet on Nepal to secure another victory and clinch the tournament trophy.