APL 2018: Match 15, Nangarhar Leopards vs Paktia Panthers, Match Prediction: Who will win the Match?

Nangarhar Leopards and Paktia Panthers will lock horns in the match 15 of the ongoing Afghanistan Premier League (APL). The Leopards have just got back to the winning ways and will be playing their third game in as many days which might take a toll on the players. The Panthers came out on top in the previous tussle between the two teams and it will be interesting to see how things pan out this time around.

Mohammad Shahzad led side has surprised many with their performances. A lot of unknown cricketers have put their hand up for the team so far and with the captain in great form, they could turn out to be one of the dark-horses in this tournament. They are at the top of the points table and will have a chance to stay at the top if they manage to win this encounter.

As far as the Leopards are concerned, they had lost their way after starting the season with an impressive victory. However, the team has managed to get back to the winning way and would love to continue in the same way. A lot will depend on how they fare in their Saturday’s game as they momentum plays a big role in this game.

Pitch and Weather

With the game set to be played late in the evening, there will be some respite for the players. Though they must’ve gotten used to the temperatures of more than 35 in Sharjah now. The pitch will be good enough for batting once again. With the dew increasing later in the night, expect the norm to field after winning the toss to continue.

Team Combinations

Paktia Panthers

Paktia Panthers rested Shahid Afridi in the previous game surprisingly to strengthen the batting. Calum MacLeod is expected to retain his place for this match. Shahzad and MacLeod will open the innings for the Panthers while the likes of Cameron Delport and Sikandar Raza follow them in the middle-order. Also, Isuru Udana will hold key yet again as the local talent is also expected to come to the fore for the team.

Probable XI: Mohammad Shahzad (c), Calum MacLeod/Shahid Afridi, Cameron Delport, Sikandar Raza, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Samiullah Shenwari, Mohammad Sardar (wk), Sharafuddin Ashraf, Isuru Udana, Yamin Ahmadzai, Azmatullah Omarzai

Nangarhar Leopards

Nangarhar are left confused with Andre Russell’s fitness it seems. He returned only for a solitary game and had to sit out for the next game. But they will take a lot out of the fact that the team has managed to handle the blow well. The skipper Ben Cutting has led decently and his troops have responded after a small calamity during the tournament. Though, they will have to continue playing the same brand of cricket to increase their chances of qualifying for the knockouts.

Probable XI: Johnson Charles, Anton Devcich, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Shafiqullah Shafiq (wk), Imran Janat, Mitchell McClenaghan, Ben Cutting (c), Zahir Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Probable Top Performers

Sikandar Raza – Paktia Panthers | Anton Devcich – Nangarhar Leopards

Broadcast Details

TV – DSport

Match Timings – 21:30 IST; 20:00 local

The prediction is for the Nangarhar Leopards to settle the scores against Paktia Panthers.

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