Considering that Nepal has not lost a single match at Asian level since losing the final of ACC U-19 Cup in 1999 to Bangladesh and that Saudi Arabia has qualified to compete in the event winning the ACC U-19 Challenge Cup, it may be a relatively easy one for Gyanendra Malla’s team.
“Nepal is a team everyone wants to beat, so we cannot take any match lightly,” coach Roy Dias said before leaving Kathmandu. The convincing way in which Saudi Arabia dominated the Challenge Cup gives hint of the talents the Middle East team has.
However, Saudi is fielding a team of relatively unknown players with no players from the 2008 event. Nepal, on the other hand, is studded with experienced players in the likes of captain Gyanendra, who is a mainstay of the senior side and ACC U-17 Elite Cup winning captain Prithu Baskota.
Akash Gupta, Gyanendra Malla, Rom Shrestha and Chandra Sawad rest at hotel lobby in Kuwait on Tuesday ahead of the team´s practice session.
NSJF
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Apart from them, Akash Gupta, Rom Shrestha, Antim Thapa, Sagar Khadka, Amrit Bhattarai, Chandra Saud, Anil Mandal and Subash Pradhan were all members of the Nepali U-19 team that reached the plate final of the Youth World Cup 2008 in Malaysia.
Only four Nepali players– Lal Bahadur Adhikari, Sunny Pun, Anupam Singh and Rupesh Srivastav —lack international experience.
Gyanendra, who had led Nepali U-17 team once in the past, knows how important it is to win the event and to begin well to gain momentum. “As a member of earlier U-19 teams, I know how important it’s to win the event and then to qualify for the Youth World Cup,” he added, “and we are committed to perform our best.”
And, he knows there is pressure as well. “Of course, there is pressure to perform well,” he said on the eve of departure, “but we are prepared well to cope with that pressure.”
Coach Roy Dias believed that the team is a balanced one. “I am taking a balanced side,” he said. “I have a few experienced players and overall, I have a good time.”
Dias says Nepal is in a tough group. “Malaysia played in the last World Cup and has a lot of players from that team. Singapore and Hong Kong are also good.”
Hong Kong has two players who were members of the senior teams when they played ODIs in Asia Cup and won the ACC Trophy -wicket-keeper captain James Atkinson and fast-bowler Irfan Ahmed.
Nepal has won the Asian U-19 four times before - in 2001 under captaincy of Binod Das, in 2003 under Shakti Gauchan, in 2005 under Kanishka Chaugai and in 2007 under Paras Khadka. Apart from the last time when it beat Afghanistan to lift the trophy, Nepal has beaten Malaysia in all other finals.
For years, the Asian U-19 was the qualifier for the Youth World Cup and Nepal played the big event five times, in 1999 as runners-up to Bangladesh and in 2002 (plate finalist), 2004, 2006 (plate winner) and 2008 (plate finalist).
This time, however, the finalists of the event will only qualify for the 10-nation qualifier to the Youth World Cup 2010 which will be played between top two teams from each of the cricketing regions - Asia, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Americas and Africa.
