Kathmandu Gorkhas vs Lumbini Lions, NPL, Today Match Prediction

KMG vs LBL Match Prediction & Analysis

Kathmandu Gorkhas and Lumbini Lions will lock horns in the 18th match of the Nepal Premier eague 2026 on Saturday, 7th November. The venue for this match is Tribhuvan International University Cricket Ground, Kirtipur and the scheduled start time is 16.15 IST. 

Kathmandu are coming off two successive victories in the tournament after having a poor show in the opening game. On the other hand, Lumbini are unbeaten across four games in the tournament. It will be an evening game and both teams will try to take advantage of the dew factor. Both teams would eye a winning momentum in the 2026 edition of the league. 

Standings: Kathmandu are standing third in the points table with four points, while Lumbini are placed at top with seven points. 

H2H history: Kathmandu and Lumbini faced each other three times in the Nepal Premier League. Kathmandu have won two games and Lumbini secured just one win. Lumbini won the most recent eliminator game last year. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

Kathmandu Gorkhas Preview

Kathmandu Gorkhas head into this fixture on the back of an impressive nine-wicket victory over Biratnagar Kings. Their bowling attack produced a sensational performance, dismissing Biratnagar for just 83 runs. Santosh Yadav was the standout performer with three wickets for 11 runs. David Warner remained unbeaten on 44 off 24 balls as Kathmandu reached the target in just 9.4 overs. 

Kathmandu have made a strong comeback after losing their opening fixture against Janakpur Bolts. They have subsequently registered victories over Karnali Yaks and Biratnagar Kings, collecting four points from three matches. They are currently second in the standings and will be looking to maintain their winning momentum against the league leaders.

Rashid Khan has been their leading run-scorer with 67 runs in two innings at an average of 33.50 and a strike rate of 142.60. David Warner has also made an immediate impact, scoring 60 runs at a strike rate of 176.50. Captain Karan KC has contributed 52 runs at a strike rate of 136.80. With the ball, Santosh Yadav leads the attack with four wickets at an average of 4.75 and an economy rate of 3.80. Karan KC has also picked up three wickets at an average of 23.33.

Kathmandu Gorkhas Predicted Playing XI:

David Warner, Smit Patel (wk), William Bosisto, Rashid Khan, Bhim Sharki, Sahan Arachchige, Karan KC (c), Jahandad Khan, Santosh Yadav, Shahab Alam, Ripon Mondol.

Lumbini Lions Preview

Lumbini Lions continued their impressive campaign with a 16-run victory over Janakpur Bolts in their previous outing. Batting first, Lumbini posted a competitive total of 149/8. Rohit Paudel led the batting effort with 38 runs, while D’Arcy Short made a significant contribution with the ball, claiming three wickets for 23 runs. Janakpur fought hard during the chase but could only manage 133 runs. 

Lumbini have been one of the most consistent sides in the competition so far. They remain unbeaten after four matches, having registered three victories and one no-result, and currently occupy the top position with seven points. Their campaign has been built around a balanced batting and bowling unit. 

Captain Rohit Paudel has been their leading run-scorer with 90 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 136.40. Niroshan Dickwella has added 61 runs at an average of 30.50, while Aasif Sheikh has contributed 60 runs. D’Arcy Short has also provided valuable contributions with both bat and ball, scoring 53 runs at a strike rate of 212.00 and taking three wickets. 

In the bowling department, Sher Malla has been their leading wicket-taker with six wickets at an average of 10.67 and an economy rate of 5.33. Tilak Bhandari has claimed five wickets at an average of 9.00, while Ruben Trumpelmann and Kishor Mahato have picked up four wickets each. 

Lumbini Lions Predicted Playing XI:

Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Aasif Sheikh, D’Arcy Short, Rohit Paudel (c), Sundeep Jora, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Sher Malla, Kishor Mahato, Ruben Trumpelmann, Tilak Bhandari, Abhishesh Gautam.

Weather Conditions

The weather at Kirtipur on 7th November is expected to be cloudy with a high of 20°C and a low of 11°C, along with a 20% chance of rain and north winds at 5 kph. 

KMG vs LBL Pitch Report

The surface at Tribhuvan International University Cricket Ground in Kirtipur is generally batting-friendly, with several mid-scoring encounters recorded in the ongoing league. The average first innings score on this ground is 156 runs and the second innings score is 147. Both teams have at least two wins on this ground. Kathmandu reached 181 runs on this ground. As this is an evening fixture, chasing sides could enjoy some assistance from the conditions. Both batting first and chasing could be viable options, but teams will need to capitalise on the early overs to gain an advantage.

Score prediction: 

If Kathmandu bat first - 160-170 runs 

If Lumbini bat first - 180-190 runs 

Toss: To Bowl

In the last five T20 matches at this venue, teams batting second have won three times, indicating a slight advantage for chasing sides. The highest successful chase at the venue stands at 187, suggesting that even big totals can be chased down under favourable conditions.

Toss Prediction: Kathmandu to win the coin toss.