Mehaboob bats Away CAN’s Cricket Woes | Maiidan

ANUP PRAKASH

The Indian Premier League recently began amidst great frenzy. Admittedly the sport isn't a religion as it is in the neighbouring country but sitting before Mehaboob Alum, one can't help but wonder when Nepali cricketers will be able to amass the same amount of fanfare. Mehaboob is one of Nepal's most promising cricketers and has achieved great success in both domestic and international levels.

One of Nepal's better known all-rounders today, he realised his potential as a bowler when he was just in grade 9 and by the time he was in grade 11 he played his first international tournament in Singapore. A little concentration on his batting and Mehaboob found himself making headlines. However, it was CAN's (Cricket Association of Nepal) failure to realise this potential that made him play for the Qatar Unicorns. "I was lucky," he says, "I always took six to seven wickets against Qatar and they noticed me. But, it isn't like playing in a club in Nepal. I would like to play in Nepal."
The main reason players leave is because of the disregard they feel here. There are no sponsorships to financially support the cricket teams, so even national players have to find their own way to make money. No wonder the resilient players of the past are now humbled into becoming shopkeepers and small-time businessmen.

But Mehaboob is still unperturbed, hopeful. He thinks he has a future. In Qatar, he says, and in other countries where cricket has still not found the footing to be a breadwinning sport, clubs offer part-time office jobs throughout the day, and the cricket is played at night. With this system, the players can earn money and play the game without tension.

Currently, Mehaboob is optimistically preparing for the world cup qualifiers campaign. The physical preparation is good, and an added bonus is the fact that teams from Bangalore and Pakistan's Academy are coming for practice matches. "Our country can certainly go ahead," opines Mehaboob on one hand, and on the other, foretells a terrifying future for it.

"Fifty percent of the players currently playing will leave Nepali cricket either for something else or to play in foreign countries," predicts Mehaboob. With the lack of domestic tournaments in Nepal, and the slackness of the domestic coaches in different districts, many talented players lack the lustre and shine of becoming true stars. The only real support for cricketers has come from two fronts, Mehaboob reveals, which are the media and the fans. Stadiums are packed and newspapers filled with news of our cricketers, yet CAN can't connect the dots to decipher cricket's rising importance nationally and internationally.

But let's hope that there are still more like Mehaboob, who considers playing cricket for a long time. And even without adequate support, he's doing well for himself. He was just awarded the 'Best Bowler' prize for taking 16 wickets in a tournament, and recently bagged 256 runs for himself in 40 overs without being struck out, his biggest achievement as a cricketer.

The average sponsorship deal for cricketers in Nepal is just Rs 8,000, while the same deal would earn 8 crores in India. Though not lucrative yet, it is steadily becoming so. Five-star hotels, corporations and factories are showing interest. Yeti Airlines even offered outside jobs to its players and hopefully other organisations will follow suit. If players like Mehaboob, who's in his mid 20s, continue to play the game, the only direction CAN can move is up.