Nepali U-19 team departed for Colombo, Sri Lanka for a fortnight-long training and participation in the Under-19 Youth World Cup with the hopes of reaching the super league stage.
The team that won the U-19 ACC Trophy to qualify for the mega-event will train for a fortnight in Colombo to acclimate to the conditions there before making the fourth appearance in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) biannual event.
“I would like to come back on a higher note,” inspirational coach Roy Dias, the former Sri Lankan cricketer, said before departure. “If we could make it to super-league it would be a great achievement.”
Top two teams from each group qualifies for Super League. Nepal is pitted with England, Zimbabwe and European qualifier Ireland in Group D of the tournament.
Dias will be under more pressure to perform well in his home country. “People there know Nepal is doing well under my coaching,” Dias admitted. “Everyone is waiting to see how my team perform against top teams.”
Nepal played U-19 Youth World Cup for the first time in 2000 in Sri Lanka and surprised the world by defeating Kenya to reach to the Super League ahead of South Africa. In 2002, Nepal defeated Pakistan and Bangladesh en route to Plate Final where it lost to Zimbabwe. South Africa became the victim of Nepal’s giant killing in 2004 where Nepal exit from the Plate League.
Captain Kanishka Chaugai hoped to qualify to Super League with his balanced side. “We are a strong fielding side and had good preparation for the event,” Kanishka said. “Besides, the two-week tour to Sri Lanka and two official practice matches will also help us to perform well.”
Nepal is playing Namibia on February 2 and Scotland on February 3 in the official practice matches before taking on England on February 6. Zimbabwe will face Nepal the next day while match against Ireland is scheduled for February 9.
Cricket Association of Nepal organized a farewell program today for the team. National Sports Council member-secretary Kishore Bahadur Singh, president Jai Kumar Nath Shah, vice-president Sri Niwas Rana, secretary Laxman Bastola, treasurer Pradip Karki and other CAN members were present on the program.
Nepali squad: Kanishka Chaugai (captain), Paras Khadka (vice-captain), Yashwant Subedi, Prem Chaudhary, Sharad Vesawkar, Gyanendra Malla, Mahesh Chhetri (wicket-keeper), Basant Regmi, Ratan Rauniyar, Sashi Keshari, Raj Shrestha, Abhaya Rana, Bantu Bataju, Amrit Bhattarai, Roy Dias (coach), Shankar Rana (assistant coach), TB Shah (manager), Diwakar Ghale (assistant manager) and Durga Nath Subedi (journalist, The Kathmandu Post).