MUMBAI, Feb 15: After a disappointing run, the dejected Nepali team is aiming for an improved performance against two-time champion West Indies in their third match of the ICC T20 World Cup. Having lost the first two games, Nepal will face the formidable West Indies on Sunday at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Known for their aggressive brand of cricket, the West Indies are widely regarded as one of the strongest teams in the short format, and they have lived up to that reputation in this World Cup. The Caribbean side enters the match with high confidence after winning their first two games.
Nepal, an associate nation stunned by Italy with a 10-wicket defeat, finds itself on the back foot. In this group are two-time world champions England and West Indies, along with associate teams Scotland, Italy, and Nepal. Nepal is the only winless side, despite being viewed as a strong associate team before the tournament. They produced a strong showing against England but failed to maintain that level.
Questions about the players’ performance surfaced within days. Nepal had delivered a commendable display in their opening match against England, losing by a narrow four-run margin to the birthplace of cricket. Despite the defeat, Nepali cricket drew widespread praise because the players fought until the final ball.
They showed grit against a well-structured side that taught the world the game. Cricket is often called a game of uncertainty, and in the short format, momentum can swing within an over or two. Yet against Italy, Nepal failed to dominate in any department, remained under pressure throughout, and suffered an unexpected loss. Along with the result, the team also lost the admiration it had earned from supporters.
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Within four days, criticism of the Nepali side intensified. Social media holds enormous sway in Nepal, powerful enough to shake governments, and players have faced relentless attacks from that same force. Frustration has grown because the team has not matched expectations. Lack of consistency remains the biggest concern.
Nepal’s head coach, Stuart Law, said the influence of social media has affected the team’s consistency. Speaking to foreign journalists, he noted that players in Nepal must learn to shield themselves from the noise. “We lost to England, but the whole country celebrated.
We could not perform in the second game. The result was unexpected, even for us,” Law said. “We must understand why there was such a big gap between the England and Italy matches. Social media has a strong influence in Nepal. Praise, trolling, and reactions can unsettle players.”
He believes the sharp drop in performance within just four days points to a lack of mental toughness. His advice to players is not to get overly excited by small praise or overly discouraged during lean phases.
That mindset will be necessary against the West Indies. If the Italy match is any indication, Nepal must improve in all departments. The team struggled in both bowling and batting and must also rebuild the confidence lost after the second game. West Indies remain a strong side, but Nepal did defeat them 2 to 1 in a T20 series last September, a result that helped boost Nepal’s morale during World Cup qualification.
At present, Nepal enters the contest with shaken confidence after the surprise defeat. The West Indies, by contrast, beat Scotland by 35 runs and England by 30 runs in their opening matches, crossing the 180-run mark in both games. Caribbean batters appear in excellent form, posing a serious test for Nepali bowlers, who must recover from the collapse seen against Italy.
Shimron Hetmyer and Sherfane Rutherford are in fine touch, both scoring half-centuries in recent matches. With the ball, Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, and Gudakesh Motie impressed in the first two games and played key roles in the West Indies’ victories. They could well repeat that performance against Nepal.
Even so, West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein has cautioned against underestimating Nepal. Nepal is a united and strong side. They know what is required at this stage. If you want to win the World Cup, you must win every match,” said Hosein, who was part of the West Indies squad that faced Nepal last September.
That earlier West Indies side lacked senior players. “In the World Cup there is no big or small team. The team that plays better on the day will win. We did not have senior players in the last meeting. We are excited for this contest,” Hosein added.
Former Nepal captain and CAN secretary Paras Khadka said the first two matches are already behind them, and the team must now focus ahead. “The last two games are out of our control. We need to focus on the remaining matches,” Paras said, expressing confidence that the team can fight back.
He stressed the need to focus on one match at a time rather than looking too far ahead. Coach Law also tried to ease pressure on the players, saying he expects a strong effort rather than obsessing over victory. “We must improve small areas, fitness, discipline in bowling, and balanced batting. If these improve, performances will follow,” the Australian coach said, noting the team played freely against England because there was less pressure.
He hopes Nepal will produce a similarly relaxed performance against the West Indies. The team trained at Wankhede Stadium on Saturday ahead of the clash, though captain Rohit Paudel was absent due to a fever. Law expressed confidence that Rohit will be available for the third match.
History shows associate nations can produce shocks on the World Cup stage. The United States stunned Pakistan in the previous edition and even reached the Super Eight, earning direct qualification this time.
Coach Law believes associate teams can defeat major sides, and Nepal will hope to do exactly that. Sunday offers the team a chance to regain lost praise and restore the faith of its supporters.
