Nepal carry hopes of a nation into T20 World Cup after second successive qualification | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: Indian cricketer Priyank Panchal returned from a month-long stay in Kathmandu last year with a lasting impression — not of packed stadiums, but of the warmth of a cricket-loving nation. Nestled in the Himalayas, Nepal lives and breathes the sport, yet with a gentle charm rather than the intense fervour often associated with cricket in the sub-continent.“Every player I met, every official I encountered and all the fans I came across greeted me with a lot of warmth and a big smile. No one raises their voice. The passion for cricket and the love for their stars is so genuine,” Panchal, the former India A captain told PTI, recalling his stint with Karnali Yaks in the second edition of the Nepal Premier League.
A country of more than three crore people will pin its hopes on 15 players when Nepal walk into Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on February 8 for their tournament opener against England, following a second successive T20 World Cup qualification.Carrying the dreams of the Himalayas, the team will look to draw strength from a devoted fan base that has transformed matches into celebrations.For a side that once grappled with limited infrastructure, the upcoming T20 World Cup represents a major step forward rather than just another appearance.Nepal supporters are expected to turn up in large numbers in Chennai for warm-up fixtures and later in Mumbai for the main event, as Rohit Paudel and his men take centre stage.“I have heard that ticket sales for Nepal’s matches at the Wankhede Stadium have been very brisk. Had we played in Delhi, there would have been a sizeable crowd at Kotla too.“Our fans, the biggest number of travelling ones after India and Pakistan, are our strength,” said Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) president Chatur Bahadur Chand, who also serves as a senior politician with the Nepali Congress party.Led by Paudel, Nepal boast a gritty unit, with the skipper forming the backbone of the batting line-up. The squad also features experienced campaigners Karan KC and Sompal Kami, along with their biggest star, Sandeep Lamichhane — the only player from the region to have featured in the IPL, Big Bash League and Caribbean Premier League.“Sandeep is obviously our biggest player but Rohit has also led the side very well in the past few years. We have had some good wins. We missed out on the Asia Cup after losing to Oman in the qualifiers but this time we are well-prepared. We had a good pre-tournament camp in Sri Lanka,” Chand said.Panchal believes Nepal have the tools to spring a surprise in the group stage.“Sompal Kami and Nandan Yadav are very good new-ball bowlers. Their ground fielding is excellent. The commitment is 200 per cent, which is very important,” said Panchal, adding that sharing the dressing room with Faf du Plessis, Jimmy Neesham and Martin Guptill during the NPL significantly benefited local players.At present, Nepal have just one floodlit venue — the Tribhuvan University Stadium in Kirtipur — which received lights ahead of the NPL, with the government now investing in its refurbishment.“My dream is to have at least five stadiums by 2030 and at least one more by next year. We already have central contracts in place, with top cricketers being paid a monthly salary of Nepali Rupee one lakh (INR 62,000) apart from match fees,” Chand said.While leading NPL players earn around Nepali Rupee 20 lakh, the smooth organisation of the league’s two editions has drawn praise. Unlike many private tournaments worldwide backed by Indian investors, all eight team owners in Nepal are locals who pooled resources through consortiums.Chand also acknowledged the support received from ICC chairman and former BCCI secretary Jay Shah.“Our players have had a lot of camps in Delhi and at the NCA in Bengaluru. The Indian embassy in Nepal has also helped us a lot.“Jay bhai has been a constant support and he wants Nepal to be the next Test nation. After the T20 World Cup, we will also focus on our first-class structure. The current aim is to qualify for the Super Eights,” said the CAN chief, who is contesting parliamentary elections on March 5.Nepal have realistic hopes against Italy and Scotland, and an upset against either England or the West Indies could propel them into the next round.Chand is expected to attend Nepal’s opening match against England on February 8 before returning home to campaign.
ICC T20 World Cup Nepal Squad:
Kushal Bhurtel, Sundeep Jora, Rohit Paudel (Captain), Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Aasif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Sandeep Lamichhane, Basir Ahamad, Gulsan Jha, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sher Malla.
ICC T20 World Cup Nepal Fixtures:
Feb 8: vs England in MumbaiFeb 12: vs Italy in MumbaiFeb 15: vs West Indies in MumbaiFeb 17: vs Scotland.
