Glimpses of what is possible for Nepal cricket in mixed ODI homecoming in Kathmandu

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  • Nepal's supporters turn up the passion. Image credit - ICC/Twitter.

    Nepal’s first ever ODI on home soil ended in defeat against Oman but the hosts did manage to close out the tri-nation series with a strong win against the USA on Wednesday.

    In between the two contrasting results, the Nepalese had a win and loss against USA and Oman respectively. That and the promise of what really is possible if Nepal get their act together.

    Ever since Afghanistan and Ireland entered the coveted Test playing nations club in 2018, the debate has turned to the potential teams which could be accorded full ICC memberships in the future. Two names that are mentioned more frequently in that debate are Scotland and Nepal.

    On current form and overall development, it is Scotland who appear to be far ahead in that race. After all, they did clinch qualification for the preliminary round of the 2020 T20I World Cup in Australia, while Nepal failed to even qualify for the Qualifier held in the UAE last year.

    However, on the evidence of what unfolded in the past week in Kathmandu, it is easy to see why Nepal cricket is held in such esteem by the eyes of many, including the ICC. No other associate member of the ICC can dream of pulling in the kinds of crowd that Nepal did during the tri-nation series. Granted, it was not exactly packed to the rafters stuff in Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan University ground for the World Cricket League Two affair, but crowds were still touching close to 10,000 for every game.

    The match was even broadcast on Nepal’s leading private television channel – Kantipur TV, which is no mean feat for an associate nation. The passion for the sport and the country’s national team was displayed boisterously with players from Oman and the USA also reveling in the support shown towards all participating nations.

    “We need to set up a lot of infrastructure within the country. It is clear that Nepalese people follow this game with so much craze and passion,” former Nepal skipper Paras Khadka had told Sport360 ahead of the tri-nation series.

    “We just need to now channel this energy in the right path. If everyone, including the Nepalese government, CAN (Cricket Association of Nepal) and the ICC are on the same page, I believe there is a real possibility of achieving this dream.

    “But we have to start today and lots of work needs to be done. There is no doubt that we have all the resources, it is about getting all these resources under one platform and vision. It is our biggest dream and for me, personally, it would be a lifetime dream come true to see Nepal as a Test playing country.”

    It is hard to disagree with Khadka’s optimism given what we saw unfold in Kathmandu, though it is also clear to see that plenty of obstacles still stand ahead of Nepal. The CAN has only recently seen its three-year suspension lifted by the ICC and the sport’s governing body in Nepal certainly has its task cut out in establishing a viable roadmap towards Test status.

    Cricket is without a doubt Nepal’s No1 sport now, and is flourishing among the youth. 15-year-old Kushal Malla becoming the youngest ODI half-centurion is further proof of the game’s rising status in the country.

    Now, it is up to the administrators to take charge of this passion and turn it into something really substantial.

    “Until the day of retirement of my cricket career, I would like to play Test cricket for Nepal,” ace leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane had told ESPNcricinfo.

    “I think the sight of playing Test cricket for Nepal will be amazing. I can get those vibes straight away, how that feeling will be in the future.”

    That ‘feeling and vibe’ was strong in Kathmandu over the past week, and needs to turn into a fervour in the coming years for the impossible dream to be realised.

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