Rain Threatens NPL Saturday Double-Header at Kirtipur

Persistent rain through Friday has left the TU Ground under covers and put Saturday's Nepal Premier League double-header in doubt, with a meteorologist warning that drizzle is expected to continue into Saturday evening.

Friday Rain at TU Ground, Kirtipur

Rain has been falling in Kathmandu since late Thursday night and continued throughout Friday, October 30, leaving the Tribhuvan University ground in Kirtipur under protective covers and Saturday's cricket in serious doubt. Thursday's second match, between Biratnagar Kings and Karnali Yaks, was completed despite light rain, with Karnali winning a last-over thriller by four wickets on the back of captain Sompal Kami's unbeaten 62. As soon as that match ended, the rain returned in earnest, and the ground has been covered ever since.

Friday brought no relief for the ground staff. With no match scheduled on Friday, the wettest day of the forecast window fell on a gap day rather than a match day, but a saturated outfield can carry into the next day. Covers stayed on through Friday while drizzle persisted over the Kathmandu Valley, and the question for Saturday is no longer whether rain will fall but whether the outfield can recover in time for two matches.

Saturday Double-Header Fixtures at Risk

Two matches are scheduled for Saturday, October 31, both at the TU Ground in Kirtipur. The first match of the double-header pairs Lumbini Lions against Chitwan Rhinos at 12:30 PM, and the second sees Sudurpaschim Royals take on Biratnagar Kings at 5:00 PM. Because both games are staged at the same ground, a wet outfield in the afternoon would threaten not just one match but the whole day's cricket.

The stakes differ sharply across the four teams. Biratnagar, led by Sandeep Lamichhane, are still searching for their first win after defeats to Chitwan and Karnali, while Lumbini, Chitwan and Sudurpaschim each carry one win from the opening week. A full day's play would let all four shape the early points table; a washout would freeze it instead. Fans can follow any delay or interruption through the live scores page, which will show the latest from Kirtipur as Saturday unfolds.

Meteorologist Warning for Saturday Evening

Meteorologist Ujjwal Upadhyaya told Online Khabar that drizzle was likely to continue until Saturday evening, and that the weather had been favourable only for Thursday's match. “Thursday's NPL match was lucky. On Saturday, however, drizzle is expected to continue until the evening. The chances of tomorrow's matches taking place are low,” Upadhyaya said.

The local forecast underlines the concern. Kirtipur carried a 90 percent chance of rain through Friday, with 11.28 mm expected during the day and 28.76 mm overnight, and Saturday daytime carries a 90 percent chance of rain with 6.30 mm expected. The amounts forecast for Saturday are modest beside Friday night's deluge, and T20 matches can still start late and be completed, so a forecast is not a washout. But with drizzle expected into the evening, the ground staff face a race against both the rain and the clock.

No Reserve Days and Shared Points

The NPL does not have reserve days for its matches, so Saturday's fixtures cannot simply slide to Sunday. If a match is abandoned or produces no result, the two teams share one point each. That rule, harsh as it looks for teams chasing a win, is the league's only safety net when the weather closes in, and it is why a rain-affected Saturday would still move the standings even without a ball bowled.

Supporters holding tickets for Saturday should check official updates before travelling rather than assuming either a washout or a full day's play. The schedule page carries the confirmed fixtures, and as of publication no postponement, rescheduling or venue change has been announced for either Saturday match. The league has said nothing about its fixtures since the rain began, so the position at publication is watchful, not decided.

What Washouts Would Mean for the Standings

A washed-out Saturday would land very differently on the four teams involved. For Biratnagar, a shared point would at least open their account after two defeats, but it would also deny them the full two points their improved batting against Karnali suggested they can earn. For Lumbini, Chitwan and Sudurpaschim, all sitting on one win, a washout would stall momentum in a short league season where every fixture counts double, because a rival denied a win is also a rival kept within reach.

The single-venue format cuts both ways here. One wet spell affects the whole competition, since every match is played at Kirtipur, but a single ground crew can focus all its covers and drying equipment on one outfield, and the Friday gap day gives that crew a full day to work before Saturday. Thursday night already showed what that crew can do: tarpaulins went on after the day match, the rain held off long enough for a thriller, and only then did the weather close in. Whether Saturday produces two full matches, shortened games or washouts will depend on how much rain actually falls on Friday night and how quickly the Kirtipur outfield recovers, and that uncertainty is itself the story of this weekend.