NTS vs NEP Fantasy Prediction, 3rd Match: Northern Territory Strike vs Nepal A Fantasy Team, Playing XI, Pitch Report, Top End T20 Series 2026

The host side opens its campaign under lights against opposition it beat comfortably a year ago, and NT Strike arrive with a squad that carries real Big Bash weight. For the NTS vs NEP Fantasy Team, D’Arcy Short, Jordan Silk and Wes Agar headline a Northern Territory group facing a Nepal A side missing most of its senior internationals. The venue is DXC Arena, which staged last season’s Grand Final and hosts this year’s Finals Day.

NTS vs NEP Match Details

Match: Northern Territory Strike vs Nepal A, 3rd T20, Study NT Top End T20 Series 2026
Date: Friday, 21 August 2026
Time: 6:00 PM Local Time (2:00 PM IST)
Venue: DXC Arena, Darwin
Live Streaming in India: FanCode

NTS vs NEP Head to Head Record

These two met in the 2025 edition and Northern Territory Strike won comfortably. In the fifth match of that tournament, played under lights in Darwin, NT Strike posted 177/8 and restricted Nepal to 135/8, winning by 42 runs.

That is the only meeting between the sides, so NT Strike lead 1-0, and they will take confidence from having handled Nepal’s batting once already at this venue.

Northern Territory Strike Recent Form

NT Strike won two of their last five matches in the 2025 tournament. They started well, beating Nepal by 42 runs, then edging Hobart Hurricanes by two wickets at Freds Pass, chasing 126 with six balls to spare, and beating ACT by 40 runs at Palmerston, where they made 145/7 and bowled the Comets out for 105.

The results then turned. Bangladesh A beat them by 22 runs, posting 172/4 against NT Strike’s 150/7. A Kingsmen side chased down 132 with 33 balls remaining. Perth Scorchers, who went on to win the title, knocked off 136 in 16 overs after NT Strike were bowled out for 135.

The pattern was that NT Strike competed when they posted 145 to 180, but their batting struggled against the stronger sides. This year’s squad looks better equipped to solve that.

NT Strike Are Former Champions

This is not a minor side in this competition. NT Strike won the Top End T20 Series in 2023, beating Pakistan Shaheens by 46 runs in the final at Marrara Oval. Jack Wood made an unbeaten 101 off 59 balls in that match, supported by Jason Sangha’s 33, as NT Strike posted 185/4 and restricted the Shaheens to 139/7.

Only four sides have ever won this tournament: Cricket Australia XI in 2022, NT Strike in 2023, Adelaide Strikers Academy, and Perth Scorchers Academy, who took the 2025 title. Each has one win.

NTS vs NEP Squads

Northern Territory Strike: The host side has assembled a squad with real Big Bash and international pedigree, which sets them apart from most development outfits in this tournament.

D’Arcy Short is the headline name. A former Australia international and one of the most destructive openers in Big Bash history, he changes the complexion of any T20 batting order he walks into. Jordan Silk brings long Sydney Sixers experience and reliability through the middle order. Wes Agar leads the pace attack, a South Australian quick with extensive BBL cricket behind him.

Matt Hammond, who captained NT Strike to the 2023 title, is also in the group, giving the side a leader with a trophy already to his name in this competition.

Full squad: Cadell McMahon, D’Arcy Short, Douwtjie Hoogenboezem, Hamish Martin, Harshtik Bimbral, Jagadeswara Koduru, Jordan Silk, Junaid Mansoor, Matt Hammond, Reiley Mark, Sam Barker, Tom Menzies, Trent McVeigh, Wes Agar, Will Blair.

Nepal A: Anil Kumar Sah captains the side, a wicketkeeper batter leading a group that blends senior internationals with developing players.

Kushal Bhurtel is the most recognisable name, an established Nepal opener who has played franchise cricket abroad, including a stint with Colombo Kaps in the Lanka Premier League. Kushal Malla is the other established international in the group, a batter with a reputation for fast scoring. Rashid Khan, the Nepal spinner rather than his more famous Afghan namesake, adds control with the ball.

Full squad: Anil Kumar Sah (c, wk), Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Lokesh Bam, Trit Raj Das, Mayan Yadav, Pawan Sarraf, Dipak Dumre, Rashid Khan, Narayan Joshi, Aakash Chand, Shahab Alam, Bipin Khatri, Yuvraj Khatri, Rijan Dhakal.

The absences matter. Rohit Paudel, the regular national captain, is not in this group, and nor are Sandeep Lamichhane or Dipendra Singh Airee. This is a second string Nepal side, which is why Crex and Cricket Australia list it as Nepal A.

Pitch Report

DXC Arena is a different proposition to Marrara Cricket Ground, where the first two matches of this tournament are played, and the evidence points to higher scoring.

The 2025 Grand Final was staged here, and Perth Scorchers Academy posted 205/2 to beat Adelaide Strikers Academy, who made 190/6. Earlier at the same ground, Adelaide Strikers chased down 176 in 18.1 overs against Bangladesh A. The one lower scoring fixture was the second semi final, where Adelaide chased 131 in 16.3 overs.

Two of the three most recent matches here produced totals above 175, and the chasing side won all three. DXC Arena is the home of Northern Territory Cricket and will stage the Grand Final again on 30 August.

Weather Report

Darwin’s dry season delivers again. Friday is forecast for a high near 88°F (31°C) with only a 10 percent chance of rain, and conditions stay settled through the opening week. A 6:00 PM start means the worst of the heat will have passed, with cooler conditions for the second innings.

Probable Playing XIs

Northern Territory Strike (Probable): D’Arcy Short, Cadell McMahon, Jordan Silk, Matt Hammond, Hamish Martin, Douwtjie Hoogenboezem, Tom Menzies, Trent McVeigh, Wes Agar, Sam Barker, Will Blair.

Nepal A (Probable): Kushal Bhurtel, Anil Kumar Sah (c, wk), Kushal Malla, Lokesh Bam, Trit Raj Das, Dipak Dumre, Pawan Sarraf, Rashid Khan, Narayan Joshi, Shahab Alam, Bipin Khatri.

These are estimates drawn from the confirmed squads. Final XIs are confirmed at the toss.

Key Player Battles

D’Arcy Short vs Rashid Khan: Short is the most destructive batter in this fixture by a wide margin, and Nepal’s spinner will be tasked with slowing him down through the middle overs. If Short gets going on a ground that produced 205 in last year’s final, this could be over quickly.

Kushal Bhurtel vs Wes Agar: Nepal’s most experienced opener against a Big Bash quick with the new ball. Bhurtel needs to survive the powerplay for Nepal to post anything competitive.

Jordan Silk vs Kushal Malla: Two players carrying significant responsibility for their sides, Silk as the experienced middle order anchor and Malla as Nepal’s most aggressive batting option.

NTS vs NEP Fantasy Team: Small League

Wicket keeper: Kushal Bhurtel (VC), Dipak Dumre,

Batter: D’Arcy Short (C), Jordan Silk, Kushal Malla, Anil Kumar Sah,

All Rounder: Matt Hammond, Rashid Khan,

Bowler: Wes Agar, Trent McVeigh, Cadell McMahon,

Short gets the captaincy as the most accomplished T20 batter in the match, opening the innings at a high scoring venue. Bhurtel is vice captain as Nepal’s best batter and the man most likely to face the most deliveries for the second string side.

The team is weighted towards NT Strike given the experience gap, with Nepal’s three most established names included.

NTS vs NEP Fantasy Team: Grand League

Wicket keeper: Kushal Bhurtel,

Batter: D’Arcy Short, Jordan Silk, Kushal Malla, Anil Kumar Sah,

All Rounder: Rashid Khan, Matt Hammond, Sam Barker

Bowler: Wes Agar (C), Narayan Joshi, Hamish Martin (Vc),

For grand leagues, Agar is the contrarian captaincy pick. He is the most likely bowler to take three or more wickets against a development batting order, and he will carry far less ownership than Short. Malla as vice captain offers Nepal’s fastest scoring option.

Sam Barker and Narayan Joshi are cheaper picks who could still contribute.

Match Prediction

Northern Territory Strike are clear favourites, and the squads explain why. D’Arcy Short, Jordan Silk and Wes Agar have all played at the highest levels of Australian domestic T20 cricket, and Matt Hammond has already lifted this trophy. That is a far more experienced group than the one that struggled through the back half of the 2025 tournament.

Nepal A face a difficult assignment. Without Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Lamichhane and Dipendra Singh Airee, they are relying heavily on Kushal Bhurtel and Kushal Malla to carry the batting, and they lost to a weaker NT Strike side by 42 runs at this venue a year ago.

NT Strike should win, and win reasonably comfortably. Nepal’s route to an upset runs through Bhurtel batting deep and Rashid Khan finding purchase against Short in the middle overs.

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NTS vs NEP Fantasy Team FAQs

Q. Who will win the NTS vs NEP 3rd match today?
A. Northern Territory Strike are strong favourites. They have D’Arcy Short, Jordan Silk and Wes Agar in their squad, beat Nepal by 42 runs at this venue in 2025, and are playing at home. Nepal A are missing most of their senior internationals.

Q. What time does the NTS vs Nepal A match start in India?
A. 2:00 PM IST on Friday, 21 August. The local start in Darwin is 6:00 PM, making it a night fixture.

Q. What is the NTS vs NEP Fantasy prediction for the 3rd match?
A. D’Arcy Short and Kushal Bhurtel are the top captaincy picks. Wes Agar and Kushal Malla are strong differential options.

Q. Who captains Nepal A in the Top End T20 Series 2026?
A. Anil Kumar Sah, a wicketkeeper batter. Regular national captain Rohit Paudel is not part of this squad, along with Sandeep Lamichhane and Dipendra Singh Airee.

Q. What is the head to head record between NT Strike and Nepal?
A. NT Strike lead 1-0. They beat Nepal by 42 runs in the 2025 edition, posting 177/8 and restricting Nepal to 135/8 at this same venue.

Q. What is the pitch report for DXC Arena, Darwin?
A. It has been higher scoring than Marrara. The 2025 Grand Final here produced 205/2 against 190/6, and the chasing side won each of the last three matches at the ground.

Q. Have NT Strike ever won the Top End T20 Series?
A. Yes, in 2023. They beat Pakistan Shaheens by 46 runs in the final, with Jack Wood making an unbeaten 101. Only four teams have won the tournament, each once.

Q. Is there a rain threat for the NTS vs Nepal A match?
A. No. Darwin is in its dry season, with a 10 percent chance of rain on Friday and settled conditions across the opening week.