Cricket Kitchen

Match Preview : Nepal vs Netherlands, Scotland T20 I Series

June 16, 2025

Nepal Begins T20 World Cup 2026 Quest: High-Stakes Showdown Against Netherlands in Scotland!

Now, Nepal will fully focus on the preparation for the T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier. After the match against the Netherlands, captain Rohit Paudel also said: “For the next three months, we will not think about anything except the T20 Asia Qualifier. Our entire focus will be on the preparation for the qualification for the 2026 T20 World Cup.”

Nepal has already begun its preparations. Nepal is set to play a historic three-match T20I series against the West Indies starting from September 27. This series will be played before Nepal departs for Oman.

There are also reports that Nepal is preparing for international series in July and August. CAN (Cricket Association of Nepal) is working on it.

Nepal is starting its T20 World Cup preparations from June 17. Nepal will play a four-match T20 series against two nations in Scotland.

We have already published a video about how important this series is for Nepal. If you haven’t watched it yet, Here is the Video: Nepal’s Historic T20I Tour of Europe | Can They Defeat Scotland & Netherlands Again?

Here, we are going to provide a pre-match analysis of the T20I match between Nepal and the Netherlands. What is the pitch condition at Glasgow’s Titwood ground in Scotland? What should the toss-winning team do? What has been the result in the last five matches at this ground? We will discuss all of this. We will also talk about the head-to-head record between Nepal and the Netherlands—who is ahead, how many matches have been played between the two teams. With Sompal Kami and Gulshan Jha injured, what changes will there be in Nepal’s playing XI? Who might replace them? This will also be discussed. The video will also provide a possible list of batters and bowlers who could influence the match for Nepal. Information about where the live broadcast will be, what time the match starts, and the weather forecast will also be included.

Pitch condition and toss impact:

No international matches have been played at Glasgow’s Titwood ground in Scotland since 2022. However, this ground is not new for Nepal. Nepal first played Scotland at this very ground. In that first match, Nepal defeated Scotland by 5 wickets. But that was a One Day match. So far, Nepal has played two matches at this ground—won one and lost one. Apart from current players like Nandan Yadav, Bhim Sharki, and recently touring players, almost all of Nepal’s players have experience playing at this venue.

Left-arm orthodox bowlers have taken the most wickets at this ground. So, bowlers like Lalit Rajbanshi, Sandeep Lamichhane, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Kushal Bhurtel are likely to take wickets for Nepal. After left-arm orthodox spinners, right-arm medium pacers have a good record here. So, there will be chances for Karan KC in the early overs and Nandan Yadav in the death overs to take wickets.

Out of the last five matches at this venue, the team winning the toss has chosen to bowl first. The team batting second has won four out of those five matches. Based on that, the toss-winning team is likely to bowl first. Nepal too is expected to bowl first if they win the toss. However, since these records are from ODI matches, the result in T20 may vary. Also, no T20I has ever been played at this venue. This match between Nepal and the Netherlands will be the first T20I played at this ground. Hence, how the pitch behaves remains to be seen.

Head-to-head:

Nepal and the Netherlands have faced each other 13 times in T20Is so far. One match was abandoned due to rain. Out of the remaining 12, the Netherlands have won 7 matches, and Nepal has won 5. The last time they met was in the T20 World Cup, where the Netherlands won. Nepal last defeated the Netherlands in March 2024. In head-to-head, the Netherlands have an upper hand over Nepal. However, Nepal recently defeated the Netherlands in both ODIs, so Nepal should not be considered weak just based on head-to-head records.

Players who could be dangerous against Nepal:

Nepal and the Netherlands have been meeting frequently in T20s. Hence, both sides are well aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. For Nepal’s bowlers, the top four batters of the Netherlands will be the main threats—Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Scott Edwards, and Noah Croes. For Nepal’s batters, Paul van Meekeren and Roelof van der Merwe could be the main threats. Nepali batters will need to play cautiously against them.

Batters to watch:

In this Scotland series, any two of Bhim Sharki, Kiran Thagunna, and Rupesh Singh are likely to make their T20 debuts for Nepal. However, Kushal Bhurtel and Dipendra Singh Airee will be the main batters to watch in this match. Nepal’s victory will heavily rely on their performances.

Bowlers to watch:

Despite Sompal Kami and Gulshan Jha being injured, Nepal has not included many pacers in the squad. In the squad announced for the Scotland series, Nepal seems more dependent on medium pacers and now heavily reliant on spinners. In this match, Nandan Yadav and Lalit Rajbanshi will be the bowlers to watch. Their performances will be complemented by Karan KC and Sandeep Lamichhane.

Who will replace Sompal and Gulshan?

Sompal Kami and Gulshan are out of the T20 series. Nandan Yadav will replace Sompal Kami. Even if Sompal hadn’t been injured, Nandan was likely to play in this T20 series. Now, with Sompal out, Nandan will be in the playing XI alongside Karan KC. Rupesh Singh is likely to take Gulshan’s place. However, Aarif Sheikh is also in the race. If an extra batter is needed, Lokesh Bam may bat at number seven.

Probable Playing XI – Netherlands:
Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Scott Edwards, Vikramjit Singh, Teja Nidamanuru, Ben Fletcher, Noah Croes, Roelof van der Merwe or Saqib Zulfiqar, Kyle Klein, Paul van Meekeren, Vivian Kingma.

Probable Playing XI – Nepal:
Kushal Bhurtel, Anil Sah, Bhim Sharki, Rohit Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee, Basir Ahmad or Kiran Thagunna or Aarif Sheikh, Rupesh Singh, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi.

Why is this team strong?

For Nepal, every match now will likely be used for experimentation. Coach Pubudu Dassanayake is likely in search of his best playing XI. He will likely field his best XI against the West Indies and then head to Oman for the Asia Qualifier. In this series, all 15 players are expected to get an opportunity to showcase their skills. When a player gets their chance is just a matter of timing. The likely XI in the first match includes four spinners and at least three pacers. Also, the presence of six specialist batters makes the team balanced and strong. Nevertheless, all players will likely get chances in one match or another. Hence, more than who gets included, the focus will be on who performs how. Wins will be important, but these matches will also determine players’ places in the national team for the World Cup Qualifier. So, competition will be performance-based.

Weather conditions:

On Monday, June 16, 2025, there is a forecast for light rain in the morning in Glasgow. However, there is no rain forecast during the match hours. If there is significant rain in the morning, the game may start slightly late due to wet outfield.

Match timing and broadcast:

The match between Nepal and the Netherlands will be played at Titwood Ground, Glasgow, Scotland. The game will begin at 7:45 PM Nepali time. You can watch the live broadcast on the YouTube channel of Scotland Cricket and on television via Action Sports.

Win probability:

Considering Nepal recently defeated the Netherlands in both ODIs and assessing the overall situation, Nepal has a 55% chance of winning, while the Netherlands has a 45% chance.

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