Continuous rain in Kathmandu for more than 24 hours has put both Nepal Premier League (NPL) matches scheduled for Saturday at risk, with the waterlogged TU Cricket Ground raising particular concern over the day’s opening fixture. The match between Lumbini Lions and Chitwan Rhinos is due to start at 12:30 pm, but meteorologist Binod Pokharel has forecast rain in the capital until around 2 pm. The first match is considered highly likely to be cancelled, while the status of the second fixture remains uncertain.
Rain forecast puts opening match in doubt
The timing of the forecast creates a direct challenge for the Lumbini Lions-Chitwan Rhinos game. Rain is expected to continue beyond the scheduled 12:30 pm start, making it difficult for the match to begin as planned. Pokharel’s forecast, as reported in coverage of the weather’s impact on the ground, points to rain lasting until approximately 2 pm.
That forecast does not establish what decision match officials will make, but the conditions have made the opening game especially vulnerable. The Nagarik News report on the waterlogged TU Cricket Ground describes the effect of the prolonged rain on the venue. With the ground already waterlogged and rain forecast through the scheduled start, the first fixture is highly likely to be called off.
TU Cricket Ground waterlogged
The TU Cricket Ground has been waterlogged after the continuous rainfall, adding to the uncertainty around Saturday’s programme. The rain has persisted in Kathmandu for more than a day, leaving the venue in poor condition ahead of the scheduled matches. The condition of the ground is therefore a key factor alongside the forecast: even if rainfall eases, the available information does not indicate whether the playing surface will be ready for cricket.
The two fixtures face the same broad weather problem, but the outlook for them is not identical. The opening match has been described as highly likely to be cancelled because its scheduled start falls during the period when rain is forecast. The second match is still uncertain, and no definite outcome for that fixture has been reported.
Second fixture remains uncertain
Saturday’s schedule includes two NPL matches, but the continuing rain has left the later game in doubt as well. The available reports do not confirm whether that match will go ahead, nor do they provide a final decision on either fixture. For now, the waterlogged venue and the forecast of rain until around 2 pm are the main known factors affecting the day’s programme.
The uncertainty means the status of the second game cannot be inferred from the likelihood of the opening match being cancelled. Any update would depend on the weather and the condition of the ground, but no further details about a decision or revised schedule are available in the reports. News of Nepal’s report on the rain-affected NPL schedule also covers the risk to Saturday’s matches.
For the Lumbini Lions and Chitwan Rhinos, the immediate concern is whether the opening fixture can be played despite the forecast and waterlogged ground. The second match remains unresolved. With rain expected in Kathmandu until about 2 pm, both scheduled games are under threat, but only the first has been described as highly likely to be cancelled.
