After back-to-back defeats at home, Sikh Union face litmus test of their collective ability and character when they take on Swamibapa in the NPCA Twenty20 tournament at Nairobi Jafferys today.
Swamibapa too are coming off a loss against defending champions Kanbis but have performed far better than Sikh Union with four wins from five outings Sikh Union are hooked up in the middle of the table with just two points from five matches.
The Forest Road-based Sikh Union are yet to display the character and drive that saw them go unbeaten to the final before falling to Kanbis.
Despite the respective track record this season, Sikh Union have always been involved in close matches with Swamibapa and at times managed to register wins with the most recent one being the league campaign where they won to dent Swamibapa’s chances of winning the league.
The major difference between the two teams in this season’s T20 has been the depth in the Swamibapa’s ranks with proven match winners in contrast to Sikh Union whose dependence on Gurdeep Singh and Nadeem Ahmed has made them a tad predictable.
The biggest worry for Sikh Union though is their bowling which has appeared toothless. Paramveer Singh and Tarandeep Singh, the sides dependable bowlers, have failed to sparkle with the ball, and it is about time that the two got their act together. In contrast, Swamibapa appear to be a settled unit and the defeat to Kanbis notwithstanding last year’s semi finalists, looks good enough for another win against a side that is on the ropes.
For sure, Sikh Union’s plan would be to contain Alex Obanda and newly acquired Rakesh Kahar if they are to challenge Swamibapa. Tomorrow, Swamibapa face another tough battle when they visit Nairobi Gymkhana, who are currently enjoying good form.
Gymkhana have been on a roll, winning all their matches and with their current form, their meeting with Swamibapa will be a must watch for cricket fans.
Irfan Karim has made his return at the club with some good contribution with the bat while Lucas Oluoch has been impressive with the ball.
Before taking on Swamibapa tomorrow, Gymkhana will be at Premier Club today to play the hosts who currently lie bottom.
Kanbis will also be facing an acid test when they take on unbeaten Stray Lions tomorrow at Simba Union. Stray Lions are also yet to lose a match and this could make the match interesting.