Chitwan Rhinos vs Pokhara Avengers: unsettled batting meets a narrowing playoff route
Chitwan Rhinos meet Pokhara Avengers in the Nepal Premier League’s 17th match on Friday, 6 November 2026, at Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. Play begins at 17:00 Nepal time, with Chitwan seeking a second win and Pokhara trying to stop three defeats becoming four.
Chitwan’s platform needs more momentum
Chitwan sit seventh with three points from a win, a defeat and a no-result. With four playoff places available, they have room to recover, but their two completed matches have shown quite different levels of control.
In their last game on 2 November, Chitwan made 129/6 against Sudur Paschim Royals and lost by five wickets with 20 balls unused. Ravi Bopara’s 49 from 40 balls repaired early damage without giving the bowlers much protection.
The powerplays explain much of that defeat: Chitwan reached 39/2, while Sudur Paschim raced to 66/2. Ranjeet Kumar’s 3/28 briefly reopened the contest, but dropped catches weakened the recovery (The Kathmandu Post).
Their opening win over Biratnagar Kings offered a better batting model. Dawid Malan’s 70 from 50 balls helped establish a platform, and Chitwan added 52 without loss in the death overs to finish on 157/3.
That defence also showed the attack’s capacity to recover under pressure. Kamal Singh Airee took 4/26 and Rijan Dhakal 2/25 as Biratnagar lost six wickets in the final phase, falling eight runs short.
Sikandar Raza’s arrival has changed both the leadership and overseas balance. He captained against Sudur Paschim, replacing Dan Mousley in a side that retained Malan, Bopara and Tom Taylor (Setopati).
Kushal Malla was again absent from that side. Raza now has several days between appearances after arriving on the morning of his Chitwan debut, following international duty for Zimbabwe the previous evening.
Pokhara must repair the middle overs
Pokhara are eighth, without a point after three matches, and their net run rate of -1.770 reflects more than close finishes. They have lost batting first twice and chasing once, so changing the innings order alone offers no remedy.
On 3 November, their latest outing ended in an eight-wicket defeat by Lumbini Lions. Pokhara slipped to 23/3 in the powerplay, added only 28/3 through the middle overs and finished on 97/9; Lumbini needed just 11.4 overs.
Chamika Karunaratne’s 25 from 17 balls gave that innings some late resistance. By then, however, the specialist batting had left him managing damage rather than setting up a competitive finish.
Against Janakpur Bolts on 1 November, Pokhara had a more promising opening. Kushal Bhurtel made 35 from 24 balls, but a middle-over return of 49/5 undermined the pursuit of 148, leaving them nine runs short.
Shakib Al Hasan’s 3/15 in that match remains a substantial reason not to dismiss Pokhara. His control can test a Chitwan batting order that recently struggled to accelerate, although Pokhara need more support around his spells.
They changed their balance against Lumbini by bringing in Sadeera Samarawickrama for Mohammad Saifuddin, adding specialist batting at the expense of a seam-bowling all-rounder. Arjun Kumal and Aakash Chand also entered the side (Nepal News).
Those changes did not produce an immediate improvement. Bhurtel’s assessment that “we haven't been able to click with either bat or ball” fits a side whose useful individual spells and starts have yet to become a complete performance (cricnepal).
Chitwan favoured, with batting still the test
Chitwan are favourites, but their advantage rests on a more convincing completed performance rather than sustained dominance. Malan and Bopara have already built a winning total, while the seam attack has demonstrated the execution to defend one.
The market agrees: Chitwan Rhinos at 1.62 and Pokhara Avengers at 2.28 make Chitwan clear, though not overwhelming, favourites. Pokhara’s strongest route into the match is to take early wickets and let Shakib apply pressure before Chitwan can accelerate.
For Chitwan, the immediate target is Pokhara’s vulnerable top and middle order. Removing Bhurtel before he converts a start would again ask the less settled batting around him to rebuild, restricting Karunaratne’s freedom later.
The evening forecast points towards predominantly dry weather and cooling conditions. Bopara’s observation after the opener that the pitch slowed and the softer ball became harder to hit supports the value of building runs before the innings loses pace (cricnepal).
Dew is a consideration, not a sufficient reason to declare chasing preferable. A wet ball could complicate grip and catching under lights, while the recent evidence also warns against leaving too much acceleration for the older ball.
I give Chitwan the edge because they have shown a workable route through both innings. Pokhara can challenge that judgement through their senior bowlers, but they first need their batting to leave those bowlers something worth defending—or a chase still within reach.
