Zimbabwe
Nepal
The ICC ODI Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023 are all set to begin on Sunday, June 18, 2023, in Zimbabwe. The opening match will be played between the hosts of the tournament and Nepal. The game will be played in the Harare Sports Club Stadium, Harare. Both of these teams are part of Group A of the qualifiers, along with the USA, West Indies, and the Netherlands.
Since Sri Lanka and the West Indies are in qualifiers, it is going to be an uphill task for Zimbabwe to qualify for the World Cup scheduled to be played in India, but it is a golden chance for them to showcase their talent. Nepal, on the other hand, is still a team that is in a growing phase and would not be thinking about the World Cup. The top bookmakers in India have odds for this tournament with them.
Instead, they will take it one match at a time in the qualifiers and try to stage some big upsets. As the excitement builds up, fans eagerly await the upcoming match between Zimbabwe and Nepal. The match predictions and probable lineups have generated interest and anticipation among cricket enthusiasts worldwide, adding to the buzz surrounding the tournament.
ZimbabweNepalZimbabwe’s team management has a few key decisions to make: opening combination, fast bowlers, and how many all-rounders? We think Innocent Kaia is most likely to open the batting with Craig Ervine, with Wesley Madhevere batting at number 3. The fast bowlers are going to be Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarva, Brad Evans, and Wellington Masakadza. Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams are going to be the two spin-bowling all-rounders in their lineup.
Raza is going to be Zimbabwe’s trump card in this tournament.
Predicted Lineup: Innocent Kaia, Craig Ervine (c), Wesley Madhevere, Sean Williams, Ryan Burl, Sikandar Raza, Clive Madande (wk), Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, and Richard Ngarva
The Nepal team has played well in both of the warm-up matches before the qualifiers. They are also coming off an excellent tournament win in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2023. Captain Rohit Paudel will have responsibility for their batting department, whereas Karan KC will be the leader of the bowlers. The leggie will be their X-factor player in this tournament.
A lot is expected from players like Sandeep Lamichhane, who have international experience and have played in the IPL too.
Predicted Lineup: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Bhim Sharki, Rohit Paudel (c), Kushal Malla, Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, and Lalit Rjabanshi
The conditions are going to be as good as ever for playing a cricket match on Sunday in Harare. Since the pitch is also fresh, a lot of runs are going to be scored by both teams at this venue, and batting fireworks are expected. This is a flat deck, but it usually tends to slow down gradually, and this will help the spinners from both teams.
Both Zimbabwe and Nepal will be looking to win this match, start their campaign on a winning note, and send some positive vibes across their camps so that they can qualify for the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023.
