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Not long ago   qualifying for the   World cup finals   was an improbable dream. The dream is no more a dream. It is a   dream   comes true. For the first time in fifty years, the national cricket team of Nepal achieved   success of epic proportion never seen before in the annals   of the country’s sporting history. By qualifying for the 2014 Twenty20 World Cup finals, our cricketers have all done themselves and the country proud. More important, they have put Nepal firmly on the world cricket map. We could not have asked for anything more. Without a doubt, 2013 has been a historical and memorable   year for Nepal cricket. We should cherish this moment forever. Perhaps, this is the turning point of Nepali cricket. I hope so. There have been activities galore on the domestic front but the national team has rightfully stolen the limelight, following their run of brilliant performance. Two years ago when Team Nepal was   mightily   struggling to get its act togethe

As   2013 winds   down, which means it’s time for me to take a quick look back and    assess the ups and downs of  Nepali football. Like always, football and cricket   hogged the headlines for the most part. Cricket, as we all know, had phenomenal success whereas   football   failed to make   any   significant headway in terms of performance and result internationally. Football goers had to endure yet another   disappointing   and frustrating season without any question. They had   to watch their   team   languish through a losing year. Evidently, it was, again, an all too familiar   territory   for Team Nepal. A litany of unimpressive performances contributed to their mediocrity for which   they   paid a very   heavy price. They crashed to   successive defeats both    at home and on foreign soil, to the pure disbelief of   fans.  As a matter of fact, this is a trend that has been going   on for decades.   The year kicked off on a bright and optimistic

Finally the long and   often agonizing   wait   for fans is over. The national cricket team of Nepal achieved unprecedented success, qualifying to the 2014 ICC Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh. This is the first time ever Nepal has made it to the biggest   theater of a team   event. Congratulations  to all  our players and  coaches  on  their outstanding work and accomplishment Players displayed tremendous commitment, resilience, persistence, grit   and concerted effort, making the tournament a historical success.  They had a    great opportunity to prove their ability and readiness for the   big stage, unlike past, there was no disappointment this time, and they made most out of it. The cricketers   have   glorified   the country’s name   in the sports world and carved themselves a niche as an emerging force in   world cricket. We truly are   proud of   our cricketers and   their   accomplishment, and if we ever needed a moment to rejoice and celebrate,

The national cricket team of   Nepal   find themselves on the   fringe   of   a 2014 ICC Twenty20 World Cup place in Bangladesh. They stand   an excellent   chance of qualification and  making history. They have two   great opportunities to get the job done. Should   they succeed   it   will go down in the country’s history as the greatest sporting achievement to date. Everyone is   anticipating with baited breath   the moment. Hopefully we get to rejoice and celebrate. That being said, they   need to make the most of this opportunity to   attain success. They cannot afford to squander the   golden opportunity. I say, avail this chance by all means possible. The big question   is, can they do it?  Time will tell.  We will have to wait and see how the drama unfolds. Also let us keep our fingers crossed and hope for the very   best. I   feel   very optimistic about Nepal’s chances. Without a doubt, our cricketers   are well positioned and have the   best c

The recent defeat of the national   football team of Nepal against India in an exhibition match in Siliguri, West Bengal, India   is a further proof to the negligence and incompetence within the All Nepal Football Association. It is very clear that Nepal was not ready for the challenge. As expected, they were sluggish, sloppy and struggled throughout the 90 minutes of action. When it was finally over, players and coaches were able to breathe a huge sigh of relief. As is often the case, Team   Nepal took the field   inadequately   prepared and paid the ultimate price. We have seen this happen time and time again, over the years. How much worse can things get worse? Isn ’t  it ironic? The football body does not give a hoot and their priorities lie elsewhere. Who is to be blamed    for Team Nepal’s mediocrity:  Players or coaches or the football body?  You decide. If you ask me; I say, why blame players who are like pawns on chess   board leaving them   at t

Team Nepal   has   got off to a dream start in the ICC Twenty20 qualifiers in the United Arab Emirates. Two successive wins   make look Coach Pubudu Dassanayake boys convincing. We could not have asked   for more. This is an ideal start for Nepal, hoping   to   clinch   a spot in   the   final   round   of the competition. At the moment, they remain well-perched and are with a chance to write themselves into the history books. I reckon I am being overly optimistic here. There is nothing wrong with being an optimist. I   would like to see my hopes   translate into reality. Going by the results so far, the general consensus is that Nepal   is playing to its potential. They registered contrasting   wins against Denmark and Kenya. The victory over Denmark was impressive, thanks largely to   bowlers. They put in a superb performance to restrict the opposition to a paltry 79 runs. Debutant Jitendra Mukhiya with two crucial wickets and a hand in the run out justif

All eyes will be on the national cricket team of Nepal when the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers gets underway in the United Arab Emirates Friday. Nepal along with   fifteen countries will duke it out for   the   six available spots to cement their place in the   final round of the   2014 competition   in Bangladesh.  The fifteen day   sporting spectacle is expected to be fiercely competitive and beguiling. The 16 teams in the competition   have   been divided into two groups. Group B features Nepal, Afghanistan, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Bermuda, Kenya and Denmark. Likewise, Group A   consists of Ireland, Canada, Namibia, United Arab Emirtaes, United States of America, Uganda, Hong Kong and Italy. Indeed, this is a huge, huge opportunity for our cricketers to bask in glory and show the world that Nepal is a highly competitive cricket team. Admittedly, the championship is very challenging for Team Nepal   and   is   by   no   means   an   easy task. Obvio

Ganesh Thapa’s electoral success was never in doubt.  No wonder he got himself re-elected unopposed for the umpteenth time without breaking a sweat. He has been   at the helm of power for so long that I have lost count of the number of times he has got elected to the office. Obviously, Thapa had the election set up in his favor, making   sure   he was unchallenged.  At the end of the day, as expected, his triumph   was a mere formality. This   proves the supposedly democratic ANFA can be so blatantly undemocratic when it comes to   elections. In fact, nobody gives a damn   about what goes in the football body. Not even   the National Sport Council   or the   Sports Ministry that acts   like passive bystanders. It’s a   shame   no one challenged   Thapa’s   re-election bid. A united front candidate backed by football clubs and national players could have made a big difference. Instead, they let him have a cakewalk to yet another term. The latest election suc

Crest- fallen football   goers across the country   finally   had plenty of reasons to be   happy. The   Under -16   football team’s   success at   the   AFC   U-16 Group C qualifiers   in Kathmandu was the last moment   of relief for the entire Nepali football fraternity. The talented   side performed creditably and   qualified   for the final round of the competition. The   good result   comes, following   the senior national team’s    big setback   at the SAFF Championship. Team Nepal   led by upcoming youngster Bimal   Gharti   Magar topped the group with two wins and a draw.  They got off to a rousing   start   by registering   an impressive victory over   Bahrain, bounced back to hold Iraq 2-2 and effortlessly   dumped Turkmenistan. This time the   youngsters did not disappoint. They   kept their composure and confidence throughout the   tournament. I have to admit   it   is   unfair to expect a lot more from them. Given   the circumstance and limitation, the

The national   football team of Afghanistan proved beyond any reasonable   doubt that they are the new face of South Asia. They derailed six time champions India   to lift the South Asian Federation Football Championship (SAFFC) that concluded in Kathmandu   recently. The Afghans   put   on a sterling performance and truly deserved the trophy. The winners   only   in their second SAFFC appearance showed to everyone what   they are capable of. One thing is certain; they have progressed by leaps and bounds, over the course of a few years. Their strong show comes as   a big surprise, considering the fact that it is one of the most war ravaged nations in the world. As expected, the sport   sector   in   Afghanistan   has been   badly hit   by   the   war and it is   worse off than Nepal in terms of   sports infrastructure and facilities. Yet, Afghan athletes   have   displayed unbelievable resolve and   fortitude   in the face   of adversity. What   amazes   m

A  fiercely  partisan   crowd  of about 25,000 plus  were left shell -shocked,  following   Team Nepal’s   dramatic  and  painful   exit  from the South Asian Federation Football Championship  in Kathmandu. Dejected home supporters were in   stunned   disbelief   at what they   witnessed. They had thronged   the stadium with high hopes and expectations. It was suppose to be a night of wild   jubilations and celebrations, instead   an eerie   atmosphere   of sadness and gloom hung over Dasarath Rangashala at the end of play. I felt/ feel   so   sorry   for   local fans. They packed the stadium for every home game and rallied around the team until the end. Their   support was simply incredible and overwhelming and meant a lot   to the team. I am pretty sure they will hold onto the passion for their team regardless of the outcome or no matter what. Coach Stefanwoski boys   were so close, yet so far. They gave their best,   put in a hard day’s work and were fast