Rashid Khan's Gorkhas Meet the Lions Nobody Has Beaten Yet — Kirtipur's Saturday Evening Headliner
Lumbini Lions have not lost a game in the Nepal Premier League so far — two emphatic wins and a washout. Kathmandu Gorkhas have Rashid Khan and David Warner, and a chase of 181 against Karnali that showed how dangerous they can be when it clicks. Both sides play again before Saturday, so the table may have shifted by the time the toss goes up. The quality on show will not have.
Lumbini Lions — unbeaten, and barely stretched
The Lions have won both games they have completed, and neither was close. In the opener they bowled the Sudur Paschim Royals out for 87 — Kishor Mahato 4 for 22, Sher Malla 3 for 11 — and chased it in under ten overs. Against Pokhara Avengers on Tuesday they held them to 97 for 9, with Ruben Trumpelmann taking 3 for 16, then won with 50 balls to spare behind Rohit Paudel's 47 off 32. Their other game, against Chitwan, was washed out.
The batting has hardly been tested. D'Arcy Short (40 off 18 and 13 off 6) and Aasif Sheikh give them a fast start, Niroshan Dickwella adds experience, and Paudel bats like a captain who knows the format. The bowling is the real story: a Nepali core of Mahato, Malla, Tilak Bhandari and Abhishesh Gautam, plus Trumpelmann's left-arm swing, has kept two sides under 100.
They face Janakpur Bolts on Thursday, which is a sterner test. If the combination holds, a possible XI: Aasif Sheikh, Short, Paudel, Dickwella (wk), Shamim Hossain, Bhandari, Jora, Trumpelmann, Gautam, Mahato, Malla.
Kathmandu Gorkhas — the stars, and the gaps
The Gorkhas started badly, bowled out for 115 by Janakpur. They answered against Karnali Yaks, chasing 181 with two balls to spare. Rashid Khan made 50 off 33 and Karan KC 44 off 20, with Jahandad Khan adding a quick 22 at the end. It was a chase that showed the depth of their batting, even if David Warner managed only 16.
Rashid with the ball is the constant. Four overs of his in the middle of a T20 innings are worth more than most bowlers' entire spells, and on a Kirtipur surface that has offered grip, he may be the most important player on the ground. Karan KC's seam (2 for 35 against Karnali) and the pace of Ripon Mondol support him. The Gorkhas meet Biratnagar Kings on Thursday before this one.
A possible XI, based on the Karnali win: Warner, Smit Patel, Aadil Alam, Rashid Khan, Bhim Sharki, Karan KC, Jahandad Khan, Santosh Yadav, Dev Shah, Ripon Mondol, Shahab Alam.
The match-up that matters
Short against Rashid. Short wants to dominate the powerplay, and he has done that twice already. If the Gorkhas bring Rashid on early, Short will either take him on or try to see him out. Either choice could decide the game. Paudel, who reads spin as well as any Nepali batter, will probably be the one asked to handle Rashid through the middle overs.
On the other side, Warner has yet to make a big score. A Warner innings of 50-plus against a Lions attack that has not yet been put under pressure would be a real test of how good that bowling is.
The verdict
The Lions have the better record and the more settled side. The Gorkhas have the two players most likely to win a game on their own. Kirtipur's evening matches have generally favoured the side that bowls well in the middle overs, and both have strong spin options. If Rashid has one of his days, the Lions' unbeaten run may end here. If Short and Paudel get the Lions to 160-plus, the Gorkhas might find it difficult.
Kathmandu Gorkhas vs Lumbini Lions, Nepal Premier League 2026, Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur — Saturday, November 7, 4:15 PM IST. Unlock CricIntel Pro for T20 projections and match predictions.