mysportsmysports

The   New Year   countdown has begun and it is the right time to look back   at what happened   in the world of   Nepali cricket in 2012. Our cricketers   have had a busy year competing in various domestic and international competitions.    Over all, I would say it was a mixed bag strictly in terms of performance and outcome, especially in international tournaments. There were   setbacks and successes aplenty and   missed opportunities, as well.  Surely, we can do much better than this. The players played   their hearts   out, undoubtedly, but there are various facets of the game where improvement   is   desperately needed. We always tend   to highlight the talent   and potential of our players. It is   a   proven fact that raw talent alone is not enough to garner success. Without an iota   of   doubt, our cricketers   are   hard working, fiercely enthusiastic and passionate. That being said, success, however, continues   to elude them in a significant way. The   

As the year 2012 draws to a close, it   makes sense to me at least to   highlight the lows and highs of Nepali football. In hindsight the year has turned out to be unproductive, mediocre and far from encouraging yet again. This fact cannot be disputed. Unlike previous years, 2012   has   been   more than just the   usual talking points like, All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), football development, national team’s performance, domestic and international tournaments. There were    a few attention-grabbing issues and had a lot of people talking. The   untimely tragic demise of promising young   footballers, FIFA boss Seep Blatter’s Nepal visit, national women team’s potential and President of ANFA Ganesh Thapa’s saga of corruption. I   am aware that   sport enthusiasts in the country are pretty well- informed about all of the major developments in the world of Nepali football.  It is obvious that they are frustrated and upset with the way things are going. They

The ongoing    Kathmandu ‘A’ Division League football tournament in the capital is in full swing, and already it has produced a string of surprises so far. It is   way too   early   to jump into   conclusions, however, should the unfancied   teams   continue  to perform consistently the competition  is bound to generate plenty of  excitement and unpredictability. If  the trend  in the early goings of the  league holds, top notch teams  in the likes of  Nepal Police, Three Star, Nepal Army and Manang Marsyangdhi  should expect a strong and  tough opposition. I would go as far as to say   that the league is wide open. The   first round saw lesser known clubs   like   Machindra FC, Madhyapur Youth Association, Simrik Sarsawti, Mahendra  Bansbari and   Sankata steal the thunder. They    have    played purposeful    football, and more importantly they have evenly matched their      star-studded    opponents toe to toe to this point. Most of these clubs packed with   fresh

All Nepal Football Association’s decision to abandon the newly   launched National League  football  tournament in favor of  ( whatever you want to call it Kathmandu or Martyr’s ) 'A'  Division  League   is  a huge   disappointment and a big  blow to non-Kathmandu Valley based  football clubs. Once again there will be no   nationwide league, thus denying emerging football clubs across the   country a chance to   become part of the mainstream football. This, obviously, confirms the fact that All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) is far from supportive when it comes to football clubs stationed outside the capital. Here is the thing, though, either the football body   has run out of ideas, or it is no longer competent to implement its programmes. For long   the clubs have   been   ignored and alienated   by ANFA. However, there was a glimmer of hope after it launched the National League last year, but that hope turned out to be short -lived. I find it hard to b

There was a   time   when Nepali footballers were   very much sought after by   premier   football clubs    of   India   and Bangladesh   on a regular basis. That is hardly the case now. It is so hard to believe that today there is not a single Nepali footballer playing   club football in   India or Bangladesh. Looking   at I League   and Premier League in India and Bangladesh respectively, there has been   quite a turnaround   in terms of structure, professionalism and competitiveness. Over the years, we have seen an influx of   foreign players in both leagues. Given the opportunity, both   leagues provide an excellent   platform for our players looking forward to showcase their talent on a professional level. Despite the wealth of talent, Nepali football has not blossomed for years and years, and it is very unfortunate that a lot of talent has gone to waste.     Sadly, the non-existent of professionalism, in its true sense, in domestic   football   has not h

Indisputably   football popularity   in Nepal is on the rise, but standards   are steadily   and hopelessly declining.  A fact All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) will never admit, will never acknowledge. I have painted a rather   pessimistic picture.   It is what it is. I cannot help it. Facts   speak   the truth, and we   are   witnesses to the sad state of affairs that football is in now. We are not stupid or dumb not to make out what has happened and what is happening in Nepali football in the last eighteen years. This   is a   subject   Ganesh   Thapa   led   ANFA hates so much talking about by anyone. As a   matter of   fact, they   will never accept   or digest the truth. They are so averse to   criticism of any   sort that they find   ways to silence   critics, especially the media. So far they have succeeded in doing what they intended. Over all, the   sympathetic mainstream   national media has   always been   protective of ANFA and   complicit in hiding t

Until very recently, the national cricket team of Nepal scripted a spectacular and historical   success   narrative at the ICC World Cricket League Division Four tournament held in Malaysia. In spite of the long wait, the cricketers made it happen in the most emphatic manner. The much anticipated and overdue   accomplishment   was   a    dream    comes   true   for   everybody   closely associated with the team. Coach   Pabudu   Dassanayake and his boys deserve more than just a big pat on the back for the fantastic result. After a lot of ups and downs, their hard work   finally   paid rich dividends. Unlike in the past, Team Nepal put in a flawless performance from start to finish. They got off to a dazzling   start and finished off in flying colors much to our delight. They   ended the competition undefeated and with an unblemished record, and, even more important, they were rewarded handsomely with the ICC World Cricket   League Division Three promotion. This

The   women’s national   football team of Nepal   put forth   a great collective effort in the recently concluded 2nd Women SAFF Championship in Colombo, Sri Lanka, but they failed to strike it rich at the end. It was an incredible  effort, indeed, and   they have made the country proud. They can hold their heads up high and say, “We did our very best”. Let us not forget, the ladies have   struggled, worked   long and toiled hard to get where they are today.  Their passion and dogged determination for the game of football kept/keeps them going. They have reached three finals in three years and elevated themselves to the position of number two in South Asia. The fruits   of    their   labor are starting to pay off; nonetheless, they still have a long way to go. Prior to the final game, one big question on everyone’s mind was: Will the third time be a charm for Team Nepal? The answer is of course, “No”.  The second place finish is a    great accomplishment, consid

The   ongoing   2 nd   SAFF Women’s Championship in Colombo, Sri Lanka should have been an exciting and thrilling sporting spectacle but   turned out to be a low- key affair. Prior to start of the championship, based on competing teams’   strengths   and weaknesses, the final   between defending champions India and Nepal was a   foregone conclusion. As anticipated, the two finalists   hardly had to break sweat in their group matches. They effortlessly pummeled opponents   one after another   in a   slew   of   one –sided matches. Evidently, the gap is huge between   the   rest and the top   two   seeds. And   for Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan, Afghanistan and   Pakistan, there is a lot of catching up to do.  This is the   third   final   between   India and Nepal. It was no surprise that in the last two finals (SAF Games & SAFF Championship) India had the last laugh. Despite India’s dominance in South Asian women football, they now have a stubborn, resolute an

After a   disheartening    Nehru Cup performance by the men’s national football team, the   focus now   shifts to women footballers. As I write the   women’s national team is already in Sri Lanka to compete in the 2 nd  South Asian Federation Football (SAFF) Championship beginning 7 September. Defending champion India   and Nepal are the two top ranked teams in the tournament. The two rivals are most likely to fight it out again for   the title, if my prediction holds.    India ranked 52 nd  in FIFA rankings start the competition as the overwhelming favorites, and they may be poised for another championship. One thing is sure, they are not taking   anything for granted and   appear   well prepared   for the tournament. They head the group consisting of   Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan.     It may be recalled that Nepali footballers were in the spotlight in 2010, following their spirited performances against India in two finals that took place in Bangladesh.

After pondering a while, I was inclined to use the term “disastrous” to sum up Nepal’s Nehru Cup debut.   No one disputes the fact   that   it was   another below par performance by Coach Krishna Thapa and his boys. Nepal   concluded the competition with three   agonizing defeats and a draw, finishing at the bottom of the table. This does   not   surprise me one bit. I saw this coming. Thanks to live streaming internet TV, I was able to watch the spectacle from the confines of my couch.  I was so thrilled and excited   to see Nepal in action.Sadly, I was left to   watch   my   side go down in flames. Let   me be outright and honest, it was an uninspiring and sluggish performance by Nepal.  Like most fans, I had   no choice, but to accept   my disillusionment and live with it. Evidently, Nepal’s slump continues unabated, a slump that has seen the team stumble from World Cup qualifiers to Nehru Cup in the last two years.    Team Nepal’s latest debacle has raised poi

Coming off   two back-to-back defeats, Nepal finally came alive to hold traditional arch-rival   India to a goalless draw and managed to salvage some pride at the Nehru Cup in New Delhi. The torrential   downpour left the pitch heavily waterlogged, making playing conditions extremely challenging.  However, the organizer deemed irrelevant to put off   the   tie despite an unplayable   pitch. The   ninety - minute of action   did   end in a stalemate, but Nepal achieved some measure of success to give long suffering fans something to cheer about at last. It was a tremendous   overall team effort with all the players   stepping up their play. Nobody expected the Nepali   outfit to bounce back, especially after their mediocrity in the first two matches. The end result   was   a big relief   to supporters like me. Team Nepal for the first time in the championship   put   in a compelling performance. The players had fire in their belly and played with real conviction.