KATHMANDU, Jan 19: He mentioned that even though the team took a few days’ rest after the Nepal Premier League (NPL), the preparation has been smooth. He added that the team is excited to play the World Cup for the third time. Rohit noted that in the previous World Cup held in the USA and the West Indies, the pitches were not favorable for batting, making it difficult to score runs. However, at Wankhede Stadium, the high-scoring pitch will make batting easier.
He said the team has been preparing accordingly and added that bowlers also need to prepare well for this pitch. All four of Nepal’s matches in the tournament are scheduled at Wankhede. Before the World Cup, Nepal will play two practice matches at the Barbourn Cricket Stadium (Cricket Club of India), just one kilometer from Wankhede. These practice games will help the team adjust to Wankhede’s conditions.
CAN appoints Rohit Paudel as new captain of national cricket te...
Nepal’s head coach, Stuart Law, said that the practice in India and Sri Lanka will prepare the team for World Cup-specific roles. He called it a proud moment not just for the players but also for the coaching and management teams, expressing hope that Nepal will have a World Cup to be proud of. He noted that the team has been preparing for the World Cup over the past three weeks.
CAN organized a farewell program for the Nepal team on Saturday. CAN president Chaturbahadur Chand and Nepali Congress leader Dr. Sunil Sharma saw off the team. At the event, Dr. Sharma handed over the previously announced prize of NPR 2 million to the Nepal team for their T20 series win against the West Indies and said that a similar prize will be awarded if the team reaches the Super Eight stage in the World Cup.
Dr. Sharma also highlighted that he has been providing free medical care to the male and female national players and their families and expressed commitment to continue this support even after the current arrangement ends. He also urged the Nepal government to provide pensions to players after retirement.
Chand noted that although Nepal has not played against a Test nation recently, the team’s continuous engagement has kept preparations strong. He said the team is balanced and expressed hope that Nepal will reach the Super Eight, adding that this time, the team will make the nation proud.
CAN secretary and former Nepal captain Paras Khadka said that the country has high expectations from the Nepal cricket team and that world cricket is also watching closely. Since Nepalese cricketers are role models for many, their conduct both on and off the field will make an impact, so discipline is important. He mentioned that arrangements are underway for a series against a Test nation even after the World Cup.
He added that after the win against the West Indies, the team’s morale is high, which has prompted the plan to organize a series against a Test nation. He also noted that even if results are not favorable, this World Cup remains a major opportunity.
Under Paras’s captaincy, Nepal played its first T20 World Cup in 2014 in Bangladesh. It took 10 years for Nepal to participate in a second World Cup, but the team will play its third World Cup consecutively. In this tournament, Nepal is in Group C, alongside England, Italy, the West Indies, and Bangladesh. West Indies and England are two-time World Cup champions.
