Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Gorkhas and Lumbini Lions face off in the Eliminator of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) at the TU International Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
This marks the first time the two sides are meeting in the playoffs. Both teams failed to make it to the playoffs last season.
The winner of the fixture will face Biratnagar Kings in Qualifier 2 for a place in the final. Sudurpashchim Royals have already secured their spot in the final after a commanding 77-run victory over Biratnagar on Tuesday.
Kathmandu enter the Eliminator after finishing third in the league stage with 10 points, winning five of their seven matches. They narrowly missed out on the spot in Qualifier 1 due to net run rate. Lumbini earned the final playoff berth with four wins and three losses.
History favors Kathmandu, as they are unbeaten against Lumbini in the NPL so far. They defeated Lumbini by 18 runs last season and by 22 runs this season. In their meeting this year, Kathmandu were lifted by a late cameo from captain Karan KC, who smashed 34 off just 11 balls to steer his side to 157. He also chipped in with a wicket in the second innings.
Kathmandu will again look to their in-form players to take them past the Eliminator hurdle. Spinner Shahab Alam, fresh off a six-wicket haul against Pokhara Avengers, is expected to play a key role on Wednesday. His duel against Lumbini’s middle order could prove decisive.
Lumbini, meanwhile, will rely heavily on Rohit Paudel, one of the tournament’s most consistent performers. Paudel, who struck 45 in a player-of-the-match effort to help defeat Janakpur Bolts in a must-win encounter, has already accumulated 208 runs from seven matches this season. His stability at the crease has been central to Lumbini’s campaign.
