Sports
Tez favourites over X-Factor
Sharad Vesawkar’s Pancha-kanya Tez will be a clear favourites when they take on Colors X-Factor, the team led by national team vice-captain Gyanendra Malla, in the final of the Wai Wai Everest Premier League at the Tribhuvan University Stadium on Monday.Sharad Vesawkar’s Pancha-kanya Tez will be a clear favourites when they take on Colors X-Factor, the team led by national team vice-captain Gyanendra Malla, in the final of the Wai Wai Everest Premier League at the Tribhuvan University Stadium on Monday.
Tez head into the championship match of the twenty20 tournament boasting a fine record having won five consecutive games, that also includes a morale-boosting two-wicket victory over Paras Khadka-led Vishal Warriors. They had registered a convincing 34-run victory over X-Factor when the two teams clash in the league stage.
That was the only defeat in the tournament for X-Factor, who had their last league game against Warriors washed out. The washout turned out to be the blessing in the disguise as they pip Warriors by one point to enter the final.
On the contrary, Tez are having an excellent tournament with everything working for them. Even their experiment is working wonders as was evident when they promoted seamer Karan KC up the order and he repaid the team by helping post a tournament-high 185-5. KC hit 31-ball 52, sealing Tez a place in the final with a game to spare.
But Vesawkar wants to remain calm. “We cannot say everything is working for us. There are few players who have not clicked and hopefully they do in the final,” said Vesawkar adding he
doesn’t want to think much about the final. “I don’t think we have to think much. We want to continue the way that we are playing. Its a final and since its a Twenty20, it can change in one or two overs. So we would like to keep the things very simple,” said the captain.
While X-Factor have largely depended on the performance of their skipper Malla, Tez have a batting depth where even No 9 batsman can
win the game for them, as exemplified by Pushpa Thapa who came in at No 9 to
hand his side victory over Warriors. It is the batting depth that has made Tez
coach Kalam Ali more confident. “Its not only about Pushpa Thapa but even spinner Sushil (Kandel) can help us win by coming in at No 10,” said Ali.
X-Factor would want their biggest batting weapon Siddhant Lohani to produce some ferocious hitting if they are turn the tables on Tez. Lohani, well-know for his unorthodox batting, has a highest score of 19 runs so far in the tournament but played a crucial cameo in Super Over when they defeated Jagdamba Rhinos.