Cricket in Nepal | Sports | wavemag.com.np

True Nepali colts failed to impress in the super league of the recently concluded Under-19 World Youth Cricket Championship in Colombo, Sri Lanka but their qualification to the super league can be looked upon as a significant achievement. For a team like Nepal, it was no shame going down to established powerhouses - India, Sri Lanka, and England before bowing out of the tournament. Considering the fact that this was the first time the national team competed in a championship of this stature and magnitude along with the world's best teams. The team's solitary victory over Kenya in the competition clearly underlined Nepal's potential in the game. Though Nepal's loss to India, Sri Lanka, and England was a foregone conclusion, the would be margin of defeats was a subject of debate with cricket buffs in the country prior to the start of the super-league. Going by the results, the local players of contemporary cricket churned out a modest performance.

Unperturbed and unruffled by the opponents strengths and professionalism, the team displayed tremendous resilience, confidence, and competitiveness throughout the competition despite a string of defeats. As a matter of fact, they delivered what they were capable of. What more could we expect from a bunch of young cricketers who were and are deprived of basic physical facilities, coupled with inadequate training and very limited international exposure.

Never mind the weather factor that helped Nepal reach the super league at the expense of a fancied team like South Africa. Or the team's not too spectacular showing. Admittedly, a couple of washed out matches, especially against Pakistan and South Africa did no good to the team because players were denied the opportunity to play against two of the elite teams of the world. The tournament, however, did show that we have the potential and ability to make it to the highest level of the game. But the biggest question is- can we ? Why not? Despite the optimism, the fact is that a lot remains to be done to uplift cricket in the country in terms of development. If a nation like Bangladesh, sharing very many similarities ranging from economy to poverty with Nepal has made a name for itself in world cricket, why can't we? Forgetting not the age old maxim- "Where there is a will, there is a way". Honestly speaking we ought to draw inspiration from our neighbor and seriously commit ourselves to the cause of the game.

To the question why cricket stagnated in Nepal over the decades, two factors instantly strike my mind- the non-performance of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) and paucity of funds. The bitter truth, however, is that CAN, the oldest national sporting body could have done a lot had it desired. Instead it got bogged down by its self-created passivity, bureaucracy, and negligence. Contrary to everyone's expectation, today, signs are encouraging. In the last two years, a lot has happened-ACC tournament, Veterans World Cup (both organized by Nepal), and the national team's participation in the Under-19 World Cup Championship.

Thanks largely to Zee TV's seriousness to convert Nepal into a major international arena, we have a magnificent cricket stadium in Kirtipur now. Forget the company's commercial interest, it needs to be complimented and credited for undertaking the project, which CAN and the government had failed to do. The investment it has made is bound to do a world of good to both cricket and cricketers. Also it has rekindled hopes in die hard cricket enthusiasts who are hoping the game would boom in the country. The popularity enjoyed by the game, especially in young generations is phenomenal. There is no reason why we should be surprised if cricket replaces football as the most popular sport in the future. If CAN (with the support of the government and International Cricket Body) is able to cash in on the present situation, it can definitely succeed in its mission. Once the game takes roots, sponsorships for a popular game like cricket should not be a problem. What matters most is- dedication, honesty, commitment and sound administration on part of the CAN. The executive members of the association also need to shed their bureaucratic characters and get down to serious work. Whether things will change or not, let us keep our fingers crossed, at the moment. Time will speak.