KATHMANDU, Aug 21: Nepal national cricket team left for Sri Lanka on Monday on a 6-day tour to play three practice matches to prepare for Asia Cup Qualifiers. The team was given a farewell at the Prime Minister’s residence in Kathmandu.
Nepal is set to play three one-day matches with local Sri Lankan teams. Nepal will face Army Cricket Team on Wednesday, Bloomfield on Friday, and Colts Cricket Club on Sunday before they travel to Malaysia on August 27, two days prior to the first match against Division 3 team Oman.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Krishna Bahadur Mahara bade farewell to the team. Mahara wished the team good luck and expressed his trust and confidence on the national team to qualify for Asia Cup. He added that he was profoundly happy for Nepal’s outstanding performance in the recent one-day international (ODI) series in the Netherlands. He took the moment to call on the team to leave no stone unturned to give their best in Malaysia.
Sri Lankan envoy for boosting economic ties with Nepal
Skipper Paras Khadka was optimistic about Nepal’s chances, touting the competition as being similar to ICC world cricket leagues. “It is going to be interesting. The format is very much similar to ICC world cricket leagues we play. It is going to be challenging but as a team we are prepared,” said Khadka on the occasion.
Stressing on the importance of collective performance, he said: “We need to create our own standard. We have the skills. We just need to convert it into performances. If we can deliver as a unit, I think we are capable of winning the title.”
Head coach Jagat Tamatta rued missing valuable days for training due to monsoon. However, he remained optimistic about the team’s chances after a practice tour to Sri Lanka. “The monsoon caused some problems in the training. The practice matches in Sri Lanka would obviously help the team to improve. All the teams taking part in Malaysia are equally competitive.”
The qualifiers is set to start on August 29 in Malaysia and conclude on September 6 with one winner among six participating associate nations -- Nepal, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Oman and Singapore -- to qualify for the Asia Cup. Five Test nations -- India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan -- will also participate in the Asia Cup.
The top two countries will contest in the final match, while the winner will qualify for Asia Cup tournament set to kick off in the UAE on September 15. The winner will be pitted with India and Pakistan in Group A.
The squad for the tour was announced last week with Sagar Pun and Binod Bhandari replacing retired Shakti Gauchan and injured Sharad Vesawkar. The rest of the squad remains the same that toured the Netherlands to take part in the historic first-ever ODI series.
Sandeep Lamichhane will join the team directly in Malaysia on September 28 after participating in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
Members of Nepal table tennis team pose with Nepal Communist Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal (fourth left, standing) in Kathmandu on Monday, before leaving for Indonesia to participate in the 2018 Asian Games. Nabina Shrestha, Sweychha Nembang, Rabina Maharjan, Santoo Shrestha, Amar Lal Malla and Deep Sawan are representing Nepal in table tennis competition. | Photo: RSS
_20191222200001.jpg)
