Kathmandu Gorkhas vs Karnali Yaks Match Preview – NPL Season 3 Match 10

Kathmandu Gorkhas vs Karnali Yaks match preview for NPL Season 3 Match 10: the Monday day game at the TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur, on Monday 2 November at 12:15 PM NST, Karan KC's Kathmandu against Sompal Kami's Karnali. Karnali have won both their games; Kathmandu have lost their only one, so the form lines below come with that gap — and with a graphic XI that differs in several places from Kathmandu's M5 side.

Match Details

Kathmandu Gorkhas vs Karnali Yaks Match Preview: Monday Day Game at Kirtipur

Kathmandu arrive with one game behind them: the opener against Janakpur in Match 5, lost by 8 wickets. Karnali arrive with two games behind them, both won: the opener against Janakpur in Match 3, by 19 runs, and the chase against Biratnagar in Match 6, by 4 wickets with one ball left. So the form lines here point one way, and Monday's game is also the first game of a double-header day.

Two points go to the winner, and with only the top four of eight reaching the playoffs from seven league games each, an early win carries real weight. There is no verified head-to-head record for this fixture to lean on, so this preview rests on Kathmandu's opener, Karnali's two wins, the two captains, and the daytime conditions at Kirtipur.

Kathmandu Gorkhas Preview: Karan KC's Side, Second Game In

Captain Karan KC leads Kathmandu under coach Monty Desai. The pre-match graphic XI is built around Karan KC, wicketkeeper Michael Pepper and overseas all-rounder James Neesham.

Kathmandu's opener against Janakpur was a defeat that slipped away early. Set against Janakpur's chase, Kathmandu were bowled out for 115 in 19.3 overs, and Janakpur reached 116 for 2 in 17.2 overs. Bhim Sharki top-scored with 33 off 29, only four batters reached double figures, and Ripon Mondol's 1 for 17 made him Kathmandu's only wicket-taker. James Neesham sat out that game, and David Warner was absent too, so the graphic XI for Monday — with Neesham, Pepper, Dan Lawrence and Gerhard Erasmus in it — is a new-look side. That is the form line Karnali must deal with: a batting order that folded for 115, and a bowling attack that took just one wicket in the opener.

Karnali Yaks Preview: Sompal Kami's Side, Third Game In

Captain Sompal Kami leads Karnali under coach Gyanendra Malla. The pre-match graphic XI is built around Sompal, overseas all-rounder Mark Watt and Hussain Talat.

Karnali's Season 3 form is the best in the league so far. Against Janakpur in Match 3, Karnali defended 132 for 9 and bowled Janakpur out for 113, winning by 19 runs, with Unish Thakuri taking 3 for 22. Against Biratnagar in Match 6, Karnali chased 187 and won by 4 wickets with one ball left, with Sompal Kami unbeaten on 62 off 32 after taking 4 for 33 with the ball. Two games, two wins, and the only unbeaten record left in the league. That is the form line Kathmandu must deal with: a captain in all-round form and a side that has already won defending a total and chasing one.

Key Battles: Three Duels

Sompal against Karan KC comes first: the two captains, and the two most important wickets in the game. Sompal took 4 for 33 and then scored 62 not out in Match 6; Karan leads a Kathmandu side that took just one wicket in its opener. If Sompal removes Karan early, Kathmandu lose their captain and their anchor in one wicket.

Second, Kathmandu's batting against Karnali's attack. Kathmandu folded for 115 against Janakpur, with only four batters reaching double figures, so Karnali's bowlers will test exactly that fragility, with Thakuri's 3 for 22 in Match 3 and Sompal's 4 for 33 in Match 6 as the weapons. Third, the middle overs: Kathmandu's opener was lost there, and Karnali's middle-order control won both their games.

Players to Watch: NPL Season 3 Match 10

Kathmandu: Karan KC (captain), Bhim Sharki (batter, 33 in the opener) and James Neesham (overseas all-rounder, in the graphic XI after sitting out Match 5).

Karnali: Sompal Kami (captain, all-rounder), Mark Watt (overseas all-rounder) and Hussain Talat (3 for 26 in Match 3).

Kathmandu Gorkhas vs Karnali Yaks Head-to-Head: No Verified Record

No verified head-to-head record is available for this fixture, so none is claimed here. It is also their first meeting in Season 3: Kathmandu have played only Match 5, Karnali have played Matches 3 and 6, and the two sides have not met yet this season.

With seven league games each and only the top four reaching the playoffs, an early win matters more than any past meeting would. Monday's game is decided by current form, not by history.

Venue and Conditions: TU Ground, Kirtipur

All 32 Season 3 matches are at the TU Ground in Kirtipur. The record book: the highest total here is 220 for 6 (18 November 2025), the lowest Janakpur's 51 all out, and the highest individual score Mark Watt's 114 not out.

The 12:15 PM start makes this a day game: it is played in daylight throughout, so the daytime-dew factor of the day-night games does not apply here. No verified forecast for Kirtipur on Monday 2 November was available when this article was written.

Tactical Outlook: Day Game, Bat First or Chase?

In a day game, the toss matters less than it does in the day-night games. The game starts at 12:15 PM NST and is played in daylight throughout, so there is no late dew to favour the chase. The captain winning the toss, about 11:45 AM NST, makes the call on a fresh daytime pitch, and the first innings sets the tone either way.

The powerplay is the first battleground; the second is overs seven to fifteen, where Sompal's all-round control and Karnali's attack try to squeeze Kathmandu's middle order — the same middle order that folded for 115 in the opener.

Expected Playing XI

Probable XIs, confirmed at the toss. See our predicted playing XIs.

The graphic XIs are reproduced exactly as published; the confirmed XIs at the toss may differ.

Where to Watch Live

In Nepal: Himalaya Sports TV. Elsewhere: NetTV (worldwide OTT rights; Nepal pass Rs 400, Middle East Rs 600, USA/Europe/Australia/Japan/Korea US$10). In India: FanCode Tour Pass (₹89), plus Star Sports Select 2/2 HD on TV in India and South Asia. Details in our live streaming; ball-by-ball scores free on the live scores.

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