Team Nepal’s success hinges on batting

The men’s national cricket team of Nepal  has embarked on a  consequential  campaign to participate in  the ICC  Cricket World Cup League 2 Tri-Series  taking place in Canada and the United States.

They will first compete in the tri-series in Canada followed by another series  against the United States and Scotland in  the United States.  

Additionally, they will feature in two  Twenty20  tri-series in Canada and the United States  against the same oppositions  after the conclusion of the ICC World Cup League 2 series.

Nepal is back to competing in the 50 over format after a long interval.They have played the Twenty20 format for the greater part of 2024.

Presently, they are in Canada gearing up for the competition and keenly looking forward to covering lost ground and consolidating their position.

They take on Canada and Oman in the  crucial series.This is the second tri-series Team Nepal is playing this year.In February of this year they hosted the first tri-series featuring Namibia and the Netherlands in Kathmandu.

The  home team had a  frustrating and dismal outing and ended the  series on a sorry note with a solitary victory and three defeats.

By and large, the  performance was disappointing and wanting despite home advantage and high expectations.They consistently struggled to compete and failed to make an impact. They succumbed to high  expectations and pressure at the end.

Fragile and inconsistent batting,the weakest link in the team, contributed largely to the setback.Batting continues to be a major concern for the team to date.

Going into the second tri-series in Canada, with  two points they are languishing second from the bottom in the current  League 2 standings.

 

They are lagging  behind six teams and are left with plenty of catching up to do. One thing is for certain:they cannot afford to lose matches if they want to be in contention for a place in the next round.

It is not an overstatement to say that  they are in a must win situation to keep their qualification hopes afloat.Without a shadow of doubt,the  team’s  success will heavily hinge on batting.

Hence,batters have to be laser focused  on their batting and  consistently play big innings.

It is imperative that they  overcome  mediocrity, inconsistency and technical inadequacies to  turn things around when it comes to batting. 

They must bear in mind  the fact that they can be competitive only if the batting  clicks. Solid, committed, consistent,disciplined and confident batting  throughout the series is the need of the hour.

Talented right handed batter and  skipper of the national team Rohit Paudel who plays professional cricket in Canada spearheads the batting and must lead by example.The openers, be it top or middle order,have to step up and bat with determination,patience and application.

The  bowling department,Nepal’s strength  has to be at their very best to ease some of the pressure on batters.However,they cannot afford to be lax and give any kind of leeway to opponents.The attack does  boast of  a promising spin and pace combination.

The comeback of  star  leg spinner Sandeep Lamichanne has  certainly strengthened the bowling attack.His performance will be crucial in the team’s pursuit of success.

They kick off the series against the host  nation Canada that has been playing impressive cricket lately.The Canadians have played four matches more than Nepal and are joint third in the points table with 8 points.

Given their recent form they are a tough nut to crack.If head coach Monty Deasi boys are able to put the pieces together  and  produce a winning performance,undoubtedly,they can taste success.

In my opinion against Oman, they start as  favorites.That said, at no cost they should underestimate the opponent  and take victory for granted.All they require is a match winning performance.

Team Nepal is loaded with  talent and has the potential to rise to greatness.The bulk of players who played in the  2024 Twenty20 World Cup have been retained. They have the experience of playing in the highest competitive level of the game.

As I always say, this is one great opportunity for Nepal to make the most of the chance that has come their way. Definitely, it is doable.They have to rise to the occasion individually and collectively to garner success.