Nestled among the Himalayan peaks and home to the world’s highest mountain peak, Nepal is known for its natural beauty and the adventures it offers. While it continues to be a tourist hub and is known for its rich cultural heritage, in the other side, Nepal is also famous for the sport of cricket, and have an amazing adventures in the Cricket World.
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About Nepal national cricket team
The Nepal national cricket team is governed by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN). Team Nepal has been controlled as an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 1996. However, there were a long history about Cricket in Nepal.
The beginning
In the book History of Nepal published in 1877, it was said:
“Attempts have been made at various times by their tutors to get the young men to play cricket and other games, but such amusements are thought degrading”.
Daniel Wright
According to it, we can see the influence of Cricket at that time in Nepal. Until 1920s, after ruling Rana Dynasty returned from studies in England and India, Cricket was introduced to all Nepalese. Then, they started several development programs and the establishment of the Nepal Cricket Association in 1946 to promote cricket among the aristocracy was one of them. The next few years, in 1951, After the introduction of democracy, Cricket began to spread to the rest of Nepal. In 1961, in an effort to promote cricket throughout Nepal, the Nepal Cricket Association became a part of the National Sports Council.
Become member of ICC
Through the develop of communication and transport infrastructure in Nepal, the game had expand beyond Kathmandu in 1980s and help Nepal became an Affiliate Member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 1988s. A major development program was initiated in the early 1990s, which establish regional and district Tournaments and Increased the promotion of cricket in schools.
Local interest in cricket grew rapidly and demand for cricket was so high that restrictions had to be placed on the number of teams in some tournaments until further facilities could be built in the mid-1990s. Nepal became an Associate Member of the International Cricket Council on 2 February 1996, which was the year the national side played for the first time in the 1996 ACC Trophy in Kuala Lumpur.
Due to necessary government interference, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) was suspend by ICC in 2016. However, it was reinstated in October 2019.
So far, Nepal has one of the best fan followings among ICC Associate Members.
Symbol of passion and dedication
About Nepal National Cricket Team: At the ACC Trophy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Nepal national cricket team played its first international match against Malaysia after its official formation in 1996. Since then, Nepal has participated in several international tournaments, including ACC Asia Cup, ICC World Cup Qualifiers, ICC World Twenty20 and other regional events.
The Nepal national cricket team has achieved notable victories throughout the years and has become famous in the cricket community. Some notable achievements include:
ACC Trophy Nepal’s victories in the ACC Trophy in 2000, 2002 and 2012 proved their dominance in Asian links cricket and ICC World Twenty20.
Nepal made its ICC World Twenty20 debut in 2014 and quickly attracted attention with strong performances, including a win over Hong Kong. They almost made it to the Super 10 round.
However, Nepal secured one of the top two spots in the ICC World Cricket League Division Two 2018 competition, qualifying them for the One Day International (ODI). This gives them more opportunities to participate in ODI matches against official member nations.
Nepal participated in the famous ACC Asia Cup, held every year featuring Asian cricket teams. Their participation in these occasions gave them useful exposure and experience. The process of modernizing cricket in Nepal is a process that relies on various factors so that it can make a big mark at the international level and achieve great achievements. This is one of the most important parts of cricket history.
In this ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, it is unfortunate that the Nepal national cricket team lost when facing India, against the strongest cricket team. They must leave the Tournament in Quarter final 1. But in the Nepal T20l Tri-Series 2023 between Hong Kong, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Nepal national cricket team has prove that they are not an easy opponent when have 3 win consecutive in the first 3 matches.
To improve governance and transparency, Nepal has made many reforms to the management and administration of cricket. The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has transformed to improve accountability, address governance challenges and streamline operations.
Overseas exposure and interaction: The team has been actively seeking opportunities to play against stronger cricketing nations. The team benefits from exposure to higher level cricket through participation in bilateral series, multinational tournaments and regional competitions, as well as from experience and skill building that these events bring about.
Nepal national cricket team players
The success of the Nepal national cricket team is built on the exceptional talents that have played a pivotal role for the nation. Players like Paras Khadka, Gyanendra Malla, Sandeep Lamichanne and Rohit Paudel are some of the biggest talents to come from the country. Sandeep Lamichhane also plays in the biggest T20 leagues, like the Indian Premier League, for many teams in the Big Bash League and Caribbean Premier League. Local cricket academies and training programs play a vital role in identifying and nurturing young talent.
Team captain
In 2022, CAN appointed ZAP Athlete Rohit Paudel as the new captain of the Nepal national cricket team succeeding Rohit Paudel. He started his captaincy career with three home matches of the 2022/23 ODI season against the United Arab Emirates, which Nepal won 2-1. He even took Nepal through the Asian Cup qualifiers in 2023, one of the nation’s biggest achievements in recent times. Paudel previously played as captain of the U-19 cricket team and served as vice-captain of the senior team.
Nepal’s cricket stadium
There are two important cricket grounds in Nepal host international matches. One is the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Kathmandu. It has 20,000 seats, is one of the largest cricket stadiums in the country and has hosted ODIs since 5 February 2020 and T20Is since 5 December 2019. Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground is the remaining venue. Again, located in Kageshwari-Manohara area of Kathmandu. The first international match was played there on 29 April 2023 and capacity was reduced to 7,000.
Conclusion
Now, cricket is no more than simply a sport game, it become the passion to entire of Nepal. The journey from humble beginnings to the world stage shows the passion of the players, the management and most importantly all the fans. Nepal national cricket team journey has been one of resilience and cohesion through hardship. As the sport continues to grow and develop across the country, we will see more heroes emerge and take the nation to new heights.
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