Nepal captain Rohit Paudel said that his side have “nothing to lose” in next month’s T20 World Cup as they target more famous upsets and a place in the tournament’s Super Eight second phase.
The Himalayan nation stunned two-time T20 World Cup winners the West Indies last year for their first series win over a Test-playing side in the shortest format.
It gave them huge belief ahead of the 20-team event scheduled to start on Feb. 7 in India and Sri Lanka that they can repeat the feat and take down one of the cricketing powers.
Photo: AFP
Nepal face the West Indies again in Group C alongside fellow two-time champions England and debutants Italy. Bangladesh, who are refusing to play in India, were also drawn in the group, but look likely to be kicked out and replaced by Scotland.
Paudel and his team are in Colombo, practicing ahead of their opener against England on Feb. 8 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
“As a team, we have everything to gain from here,” said Paudel, who at 23 is the youngest captain at the event. “Nothing to lose, and we can play freely. We will try to showcase our skills in front of the world.”
Photo: AFP
The 17th-ranked Nepal do not have any group matches in Sri Lanka, but it is a sign of their confidence that they opted to train in Colombo as preparations for the subsequent Super Eight round, where they would play in Sri Lanka if they qualify as one of the top two in the group.
“Realistically, I think beating a Test-playing country would be a great opportunity for all of us,” Paudel said “Reaching the Super Eight would be another one, so we are eyeing that spot, but the first aim is to play the best brand of cricket we know. And we will try to do that.”
Cricket does not enjoy the same adulation in Nepal as it does in neighboring South Asian nations, where the game dominates popular culture.
However, interest has surged over the past decade.
Nepal made their T20 World Cup debut in 2014 and returned in 2024, pushing South Africa and Bangladesh close in narrow defeats.
The International Cricket Council granted Nepal one-day international status in 2018, a milestone that helped accelerate investment and fan interest.
Domestic competitions such as the Nepal Premier League have drawn growing crowds and commercial backing, further widening the talent pipeline.
Team manager Prabal Gautam said training in the Sri Lankan capital was to help players adapt from the cool Himalayan climate to the heat and humidity further south.
Players initially struggled with temperatures above 30°C in Colombo, Gautam said, but were gradually acclimatizing.
“This is the first step of practice matches before the World Cup, just to cope with the weather and to play quality cricket,” he said.
The squad plan further sessions in Mumbai before their group matches tournament and fancy their chances of going further.
“Being a small nation, being a small cricketing team, we also have a dream of winning the World Cup,” Gautam said, adding that dreams can come true. “First we had a dream of playing in a World Cup. Now this is our third time at a World Cup.”
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