NPL Final: Tamata vs. Pubudu on strategy, Sheikh brothers compete on the field

 Nepal Premier League (NPL) has only one game left to determine its first winner. After 31 matches, Sudurpaschim RoyalsandJanakpur Bolts are ready to face each other in the final.The top two teams in the league stage have reached the final by winning the qualifiers. Therefore, the final is between the best two teams.

After being in the top two in the league stage, Sudur Paschim and Janakpur met in Qualifier One where Sudur defeated Janakpur and reached the final. After that, Janakpur made good use of another opportunity. After defeating Karnali Yaks by 2 wickets in Qualifier Two, which had defeated Chitwan Rhinos in the eliminator, they confirmed the meeting with Sudur again.

The final match between Sudur and Janakpur will start on Saturday at 12:30 PM at the TU ground in Kirtipur. The team that wins the final will get an attractive NPL trophy and a cash prize of 11 million, the biggest amount that the winner of any game in Nepali sports will get. The runner-up will also get 5.1 million. Similarly, the Player of the Series (Nepali player) will get an Omoda E5 car award.

Both Sudurpaschim and Janakpur Bolts teams are ready for the final match. Sudurpaschim won Qualifier One and reached the final directly, so they are playing after a two-day break, while Janakpur is taking the field after a day's rest. There are also some exciting features between these two teams when Sudurpaschim and Janakpur enter the field to play the final. Sheikh brothers (Arif and Asif) are competing from two different teams. Outside the field, former national team coaches Pubudu Dasanayake and Jagat Tamata are making strategies to win the team. Sudur and Janakpur are facing each other for the third time in the same competition.

Similarly, these two teams are the teams that have the most supporters. Sudurpaschim is the team with the most supporters in the NPL. The entire Far West is with the far team. Similarly, supporters of Janakpur are not less. Probably the supporter of Janakpur is the second one after reaching the ground and supporting.

Similar topics are expected to make the finals even more competitive and exciting.Sudur captain Dipendra Singh Airee and Janakpur captain Asif Shaikhhave said that they will try to win the title by playing good cricket in the final match.

Third meeting

Sudur Paschim and Janakpur are going to compete for the third time in the first edition of NPL. Earlier, these two teams have played twice in the league stage and playoffs. Sudurpaschim won both games. Sudurpaschim is aiming to win the title while maintaining the same rhythm in the finals, while Janakpur will be aiming to put a break on two defeats. Sudurpaschim defeated Janakpur by 72 runs in the league stage. Batting first, South West scored 123 runs for the loss of 9 wickets. Although Janakpur bowled well, they performed very poorly in batting and were bowled out for 51 runs in 12.1 overs. This is the lowest score in the NPL and also the worst record for playing fewer balls. Except for Joshua Tromp scoring 13 runs, none of the batsmen could score double-digit runs. Similarly, after being in the top two in the league, these two teams also faced each other in Qualifier One. Which Sudur is leading by 2-0. Sudur easily defeated Janakpur by 8 wickets in Qualifier One. Batting first, Janakpur scored 139 runs for the loss of 9 wickets. In reply, Sudurpaschim completed the target by scoring 141 runs after losing only 2 wickets before 9 balls. Now these two teams are meeting for the third time including the final. In which Sudoor will make it 3-0 or Janakpur will avenge their previous two defeats. It will be worth watching.

Janakpur captain Asif said that he is not thinking about revenge and will play good cricket. Rather than avenging the last defeat, he should perform better. Regardless of the result, everyone should feel that they have given their best when they come out of the field," 

Deependra, the captain of Sudur,  also said that Janakpur will not be taken as an easy team and will play the final as per the plan. Janakpur's team is also good, tough. We are also preparing for the final just as we are planning and playing," 

Dipendra said thathe should play without pressure in the final match and give his best. It is the final, victory and defeat are in their place. Only one of the two teams will win the final, it is a matter of giving 100 percent from his side," 

Similarly, Janakpur's captain Asif said thathe has to perform best to win. "If we want to win, we have to give our best, we have not given our best even after playing two games, we will try to play our best in Saturday's game, it will be a competitive game,"

He said that instead of remembering the defeat in two matches, he will try to play better cricket and improve the batting problem in the final. "We have not been able to give our best in the last two games. Hopefully, we will try to give our best in Saturday's final", added Asif.

Tamata vs Pubudu

The competition of the players on the field is on the one hand. On the other hand, there is talk of a 'guru' who sits outside the field and makes strategies. Sudur coach Jagat Tamata and Janakpur coach Pubud Dasanakaye are both famous coaches in Nepali cricket. Both are coaches who have seen the national team of Nepal. Pubudu, a Canadian of Sri Lankan origin, managed the national team of Nepal twice and the last time he was the mentor of the Nepali team when Nepal was on the US tour. Coincidentally, Tamata was also a consultant coach on that tour.

Nepal played the T20 World Cup for the first time in 2014 in Pubudulai training. At that time too, Tamata was in the coaching staff. In the U19 World Cup in 2016, these two coaches were together in the Nepalese team. The arrival of Pubudu was a turning point in Nepali cricket.

On the other hand, Tamata is a forever name in Nepali cricket. He has watched from the senior men's and women's teams to the junior teams, and he is the coach of both the senior and junior men's teams when they play in the World Cup. He is also the coach of the team that gave ODI recognition to Nepal's successful coach Ani Nepal. Tamata, who is also a player of Nepal's first national team, is a well-known name in Nepali cricket.

Pubud and Tamata know each other very well and both gurus are adept at strategizing. Therefore, the team of both coaches is in the final. Now it remains to be seen who will make a good strategy and make their team the champion in the finals.

Sheikh Brothers' Rivalry

It is rare for brothers to play the same game. But Arif and Asif Sheikh are exceptions who have played together for Nepal's national team. These brothers have played together many times in domestic franchise cricket as well. He helped his team to win the title and lifted the trophy from the same team. But this time in the NPL, these brothers are divided between the finalist two teams. Brother Asif has been captaining Janakpur for the last two games. He is also the marquee player of Janakpur. On the other hand, Brother Arif is in the Sudurpaschim team.