A dramatic 2023 for Nepal cricket

 

Another fresh year is here.I am taking this opportunity to look back  at the key events of Nepal cricket on the field and off,which  took center stage in the last twelve months. 

No end to CAN’s laid back approach 

The Cricket Association of Nepal(CAN) responsible for the all round development of cricket in the country continues to be plagued by weak leadership, mismanagement,radical politicalization, incompetency, internal  wrangling and  negative publicity.  

Furthermore,the cricket  body  lacks  long- term-vision,transparency,integrity,

accountability,professionalism, meaningful long-term strategies,democratic and ethical management,and organizational success.

As a result,the face of Nepal cricket has remained more or less static  in terms of  development.

The apex cricketing body has  failed to focus on developing  grassroots cricket and infrastructure, coupled  with investing in youth development programs.

Apparently,Nepal cricket  is sans a well-developed infrastructure,the cornerstone for the overall growth of the sport,which includes players development and grassroots participation.

  

I want to reiterate  that CAN’s inefficiency  and laid back approach has been a  major roadblock for cricket development to date.

Another term for  CAN President Chand

There is no denying the fact that CAN  President Chatur Bahadur Chand’s second  term was a huge disappointment and marked by lofty promises,but limited results.

He proved  a weak leader and his administration was saturated with controversies ,scandals and politics.

Nepal cricket paid a heavy price for   the  familiar incompetence of CAN.The irony is that  Mr.Chand got re- elected unopposed for another four years.This is his third stint as president. 

Unbelievable! He has admitted that mistakes were made and things could have been done better in his second term.His entire panel  got elected with one exception.

Former skipper of the  national team Paras Khadka who got elected  for the post of secretary was the sole  exception.  

Whether or not his presence can  make a  positive impact on the cricket body, it’s too early to  form an opinion,we will have to wait and see.

CAN must deliver on promises consistently and reliably in order to make a real impact on sustainable development.

Roller coaster year for the national team

 

The national team had a busy  year with a jam-packed schedule.They competed  in major tournaments ranging from the World Cup Qualifiers to Asia Cup.

The talking point was the team’s spectacular performance in the ICC World Cup League 2 which earned them a place in the World  Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe.

They rose from the dumps to script a phenomenal 11 game winning streak, capturing the hearts and minds of the  cricketing world. 

Prior to the astounding run of victories, Team Nepal  languished second from the bottom,and,more importantly, the ODI status was at stake.They  had to win a bare minimum of 9  matches to make it to Zimbabwe which they did.

After  months of struggling, they  got their acts together,defying the odds.They effectively  combined a consistent  concerted and individual effort and excelled in every aspect of the game. And they managed to turn the tide in their favor.

2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier In Zimbabwe

Nepal was  in a  fairly formidable group comprising Zimbabwe, the West Indies, the Netherlands and the United States.

They finished third in the group  with 3 defeats and 1  solitary win against the United States. 

In the 7th place play-off Nepal  lost  to Ireland to finish the tournament in 8th position.They had prevailed over the United Arab Emirates to set up a clash against the Irish outfit.

They were far from their best and lacked quality in their performance to make a bigger impact.

Asia Cup exposure 

Team Nepal's dream of playing in the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan and Sri Lanka was fulfilled at last.

They qualified for the  tournament  for the first time, following their victory over the United Arab Emirates in the final of the ACC Men’s Premier Cup in Kathmandu.

Nepal was pitted against cricket’s heavyweights India and Pakistan in 

Group A.

Although they faced heavy defeats in both matches,it was a valuable exposure and lifetime experience  for  the youthful outfit.

They  received praises and accolades for their  gritty performance from all quarters.

 Record breaking Asian Games 

The  national team  wrapped up the  busy year with the Asian  Games in Hangzhou  China.

They put together a groundbreaking performance against  Mongolia in the T20 competition.

Records are meant to be broken.That’s what the batters did, and they did it in style.They went on a rampage  and records  tumbled like ninepins.Kushal Malla reached the century mark off just 34 balls.He  became the fastest  batter to make a hundred in a T20 international.

Likewise,Dipendra Singh Airee became the new record holder by  scoring  the fastest 50.

To add, Nepal became the first  team  to score 314   in  a T20 tournament.They beat the opposition by a record margin  of 273 runs.

But  their record  breaking performance was short lived and hope of winning a medal  was washed away by India. 

 

Nepal  qualified  for the 2024 Men’s T20 World  Cup to be held in the United States and the West Indies. They finished behind Oman in  the Asian Qualifiers held in Kathmandu.

Under-19  full of talent 

The  men’s Under-19  had  a relatively good year in terms of performance. They  showed plenty of promise,potential and confidence in their game.

They dominated  the Asian qualifiers and were rewarded with a  qualifying ticket to the  2024 Under-19 World Cup.

The  thrilling and improbable win they carved out over the United Arab Emirates was talk of the town.

The  team’s success in the ACC Under-19 Premier Cup earned  them a berth in the Under-19 Asia Cup  held in the United Arab Emirates.

Contrary to expectations,Team Nepal struggled and under performed against powerhouses Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.They meekly surrendered without a semblance of resistance.

The setback has given them the opportunity to assess  and evaluate their  weaknesses and shortcomings. They must commit to rectifying the weaknesses and improving the performance before the 2024 World Cup. 

Coming of Coach Monty Desai 

The appointment of Monty  Desai from India as head coach proved to be a blessing to the  men’s national team.

He took over the reins as  head coach at a time when the team was  in a mini crisis. They  mightily struggled and were going through a lean phase.

He faced the tough work  of turning around the team through challenges.He  adopted a bold approach  and was  able to motivate, build a winning  mindset, instill  and inspire confidence in his players.

 

His appointment led to a change  in fortunes  for  Nepal.He was able to bring  the  team’s losing streak to an end.Rest is history.

 

Women cricket in the limelight 

Considering the sorry state of  Women Cricket in Nepal,I give full marks to our cricketers playing the game with passion,dedication and a mission all along.

They did fail to qualify for the Twenty20 World Cup after going down to Thailand in the qualifiers,but it would be unfair to write them off. 

Certainly they have made strides and have the potential to strike it rich. As things stand, women's cricket is in dire need of proper attention.  

CAN must make adequate investment in developing women’ cricket in the country.

Sandeep Lamichhane under the spotlight 

Former captain of the national team spin maestro Sandeep Lamichhane has been under the spotlight for  the wrong reason  for the most part  of  the year.

The most successful Nepali cricketer ever  to  make an impression  internationally was in the law’s crosshairs as he  anxiously awaited the court’s verdict on  the alleged rape charges against him.

Not only has his  public  image tainted but  his career  is in peril. He has no one to blame but himself.In other words,he has fallen into the pit of his own making.

The  unfortunate circumstance happened  at a time when the spinner was at the  peak of his career,making waves nationally and internationally.

As I write the verdict has come down.The Kathmandu District Court has convicted Lamichhane of rape. His jail term will be  determined in the next hearing. Indeed, it is a sad day and a big loss for Nepal cricket 

Gyanendra Malla bids adieu

Former skipper of the national team Gyanendra Malla hung up his boots,thus putting an end to his 17 year career.

The tremendously gifted  right-handed batter played his final match against Ireland in the 2023  ICC Men’s  Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe.

He featured in 37 ODIs and 45 T20Is scoring 876 and 883 runs respectively.  

Scandalous and controversial  laced T20 League

Nepal T20, the  country’s first  official  franchise league organized by CAN caused a firestorm.

CAN’s partnership with  Indian management company  Seven3Sports drew widespread criticism. The cricket body was  accused of  blatantly violating the rule by selling the tournament’s  commercial rights  to the Indian company without bidding.

The organizer of the Everest  Premier league filed a petition against CAN and later  withdrew the case,

CAN made itself  a laughing  stock by   announcing that it would not approve any  other  T20 franchise based tournaments in the future.

The competition was rocked  by spot -fixing. The Central Investigation Bureau launched an investigation into the matter and identified the  involvement  of  10 players(four Nepali and six foreign). Clearly, this was an example of  incompetence and mismanagement at its peak.

Time to deliver

Going forward,CAN  must take their responsibilities seriously and work towards developing and enhancing  facilities and infrastructure  in the true sense.

First and foremost, they  have to demonstrate honesty, professionalism, intent,dynamic leadership,good governance and solid management.

They should  not forget the fact  that they are mandated to provide proper facilities and create a conducive environment for all  stakeholders of cricket to grow and thrive.

 

Additionally,they must be focused on growing domestic infrastructure, prioritizing ICC development programs.

Despite challenges, players continue to play the game with unparalleled passion, unwavering  dedication and hard work. They have given  the country a chance to dream big.

It is hoped that CAN embarks on a  meaningful journey towards transforming  and taking Nepal cricket in the right direction.