Biratnagar Titans, who played brilliant cricket to secure their playoff berth and then booked a place in the final will now take on the Paras Khadka-led Chitwan Rhinos in the Pokhara Premier League decider on Saturday.

Speaking on the eve of the title showdown, Titans captain Pradeep Airee said, “We have played good cricket in the past two matches, and we will try to give continuity to the momentum.”

“The team making the least number of mistakes will win, so our objective is to reduce the errors we have made in the previous matches. We will try to do our best and hopefully, we will win,” said Airee.

He said his team has been playing to its strengths. “We will formulate our strategies based on how the wicket acts tomorrow,” said Airee who would be leading a franchise team at a tournament final for the first time in his career. The Biratnagar outfit had finished at the bottom of the standings with just a single win in the previous edition of the tournament.

The Titans had secured a 21-run win against the Butwal Blasters in the playoff. Prior to that, they had won just two matches, while losing three.

Airee’s counterpart, Khadka of Chitwan Rhinos, however, was wary of the fact that the shortest format in the game cricket is unpredictable. Rhinos have yet to lose a match in the tournament. They finished on top of team standings with five wins from as many matches, directly securing their place in the final. “The past results do not matter now, it all comes down to tomorrow,” Khadka said. “We have played good consistent cricket throughout the tournament. We cannot take the final lightly.”

Chitwan Rhinos have not lost more than four wickets in any game in the tournament, except against Expert Dhangadi. On the middle order not been tested, Khadka said: “It is about getting the job done. The batting order does not really matter. All three departments [batting, bowling and fielding] have to deliver. We do have a strong top order in terms of runs scored. This is a good sign and we hope that continues tomorrow as well. Having said that, it does not mean that our middle order cannot play.”

“It is all about execution. Hopefully the individual players will effectively execute the plans and responsibilities assigned to them. If that happens, we will be able to fulfil what we have come here for,” Khadaka added.

Chitwan had a sour end to the previous edition of the tournament as they could not lift the title after suffering a three wicket defeat to Pokhara Paltan. “Last year was a very long time ago. To be in the final in itself is a big thing. The past can not be changed, but we are absolutely focused on tomorrow,” said Khadka, the former Nepal captain in his signature voice. “Obviously we want to go one step ahead, but it will not be easy.”

On his opponents for the final, Khadka said, “Biratnagar Titans have been playing very good cricket. Cricket is a sport where the performance matters rather than the names on paper. While we obviously want to give continuity to our consistency, we must also acknowledge the fact that the Titans are a great side who have played good and positive cricket. They deservedly are in the hunt.”

Khadka further added: “It could be anybody’s day tomorrow. Both the teams have match winners in their squad, it all comes down to individuals taking up the responsibility and doing their part. Sometimes, cricket is a sport where a single person can change a lot of things. And therefore, we are not relaxed at all. Titans came the closest to defeating us during the league stage, so we are not underestimating their capabilities.”

On the development of cricket in Pokhara and the impact of the tournament among its followers in the tourist city, the former national captain said: “Cricket is growing here as the city did not have a strong cricket foundation before the Pokhara Premier League was first held. The league has been able to establish a cricketing culture here, such tournaments should be regularly held to help develop the sport in this part of the country.”

“PPL is a benchmark, but considering the infrastructure and other facilities here, there is a lot of room for improvement,” said Khadka. “The pitch is still one of the best wickets in Nepal. It could be one of the best venues for cricket in the future, if it is well developed and managed.”

The tournament final is slated to begin at 11:30am at the Pokhara grounds on Saturday.