Nepal Men’s Under-19 must rise to the challenge in World Cup Asia Qualifier

 

The men’s  ICC Under-19 World Cup one day international cricket  Asia Qualifier 2026 is generating lots of buzz,interest, enthusiasm and excitement. 

The keenly awaited tournament gets underway  from April 13th in  upper and lower Mulpani cricket grounds in Kathmandu.

The tournament organized by the Cricket Association of Nepal  is the first major international sporting event of 2025  taking place in Nepal. 

Hosts Nepal  will cross swords with Afghanistan,Hong Kong, Oman and the United Arab Emirates for the lone ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup  2026  slot being co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The stakes are high for  the  competing  teams  as they  aim for the lone qualification spot.

The  high- pressure tournament is  expected to be  intense,competitive and thrilling.

Based on  current results,statistics and teams’ form,Afghanistan, Nepal  and the United Arab are strong contenders  to qualify for the final round. It may be recalled that Nepal has recorded wins against both teams in the past.

Looking back at Nepal’s preparations for the competition,by and large, it  offered an optimistic outcome.

They  whitewashed  Delhi colts in the three match series held in India. However, they lost ( 1-2) the three match  home series against formidable  Afghanistan.

However,Nepal’s comprehensive victory  over Afghanistan in the final match has given  fans renewed hope for success.

Home  supporters are pumped up and looking forward to the competition,pinning  high hopes on their team to come out on top . 

As always, they are expected to show up in unprecedented  numbers to  vociferously support  and rally around their team.

 

The  fact of the matter is that partisan support will  have a significant impact on the team’s performance. It provides  players  the much needed encouragement and motivation to get going.

This is one glorious opportunity for  the talented Nepali outfit led by  right-handed batter Naren Bhatta  to  prove themselves by showcasing their match-winning abilities. In other words, they have to  rise to the challenge and deliver the result.

For emerging players, it is a golden chance  to rise and  make a lasting impression.They  must  make every bit of effort to seize the moment to make a meaningful impact  on the final outcome of  the tournament.

They  have the  fans and home ground advantage.The key  is to fully cash  in on it and turn  it  in their favor. 

Apart from that they must  maintain a high level of confidence and positivity,stay one hundred percent focused,put their hearts and souls into every game, have the right temperament, learn from past mistakes, fully commit themselves, and play to their strengths and potential.

They have to perform at their best individually and collectively across all aspects of the game. 

Be it batting or bowling or fielding,it should be performed under the highest  quality standards possible.

Since they  have formidable  opponents  to contend there is  virtually no room for inconsistency,sloppiness, mediocrity and carelessness.

Nepal starts the competition with an intriguing and tough opener against seasoned campaigner the United Arab Emirates.

 

A winning start is what they need to build early momentum and boost their chances of success. It’s  doable but they will require a solid consistent performance.

That said,in the United Arab Emirates,they have a formidable opponent,one of the frontrunners for the qualification spot. 

They need a whole lot of effort to overcome the opposition.They have to consistently play quality cricket  throughout and not allow mediocrity creep into their performance.

The competition is wide open.The  most consistent and competitive team will  eventually move to the final round.