ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup Plate Champion Nepal team returned home today to receive the heroes’ welcome.
“It was a fantastic and great tour,” coach Roy Dias said at the Tribhuvan International Airport where his team were received by Sports Minister Radha Krishna Mainali and Cricket Association of Nepal officials. “I am proud of the way we win the plate championship, by beating two Test countries in good matches. I am proud of the boys,” he added.
“It’s a dream come true,” captain Kanishka Chaugai expressed. “We won because of our team work and spirit.” The captain, who played his third and last world cup, hoped that the good performance would continue in other levels too.
Nepal lost to England by 77 runs and Zimbabwe by 2 runs before beating Ireland by 60 runs, Uganda by 60 runs, South Africa by 2 runs and New Zealand by one wicket in the way to the plate title in Sri Lanka. “Against England it was our first match and after bowling them out for 208 we had a chance which we threw away,” Dias commented. “But then onwards, the players learnt a lesson and performed well.”
“The way the players batted in every match, and the way they fought until the end of the match shows how good Nepal has been,” team manager and CAN vice-president TB Shah said. “Nepali players showed a new talent of fighting till the end to snatch wins.”
Shah said its now on to them the responsibility to prepare the team for 2011 Cricket World Cup and the equally good U-19 team for next youth world cup. “These players won’t be there, so we have a challenge to prepare a new team that could better this performance,” he said.
“And this is the team that could take us to the 2011 World Cup but we should plan for that from today,” he added.
Dias was especially happy because it all happened in his home country. “The win is very important because now they knew what’s my coaching is,” he said. Dias, who was coach of Sri Lanka in 1999 Cricket World Cup, has been coaching Nepal for last five years. “Full credit of this performance goes to the players,” he added. “And thanks to CAN, media and Nepali fans.”
Meanwhile, CAN has announced a cash prize of Rs. 25,000 each for the team members as an honor and Rs. 5,000 extra to each man of the match award winning players. Kathmandu District Cricket Association would organize a felicitation program on Friday.
Ministerial Promise
Minister for Education and Sports Radha Krishna Mainali welcomed the team, stood with them for photographs, even held the Plate Champion plaque with him for the photographs and promised that the government would ‘certainly honor the players financially and socially.’
“Very soon,” he said. “The government will give them a good honor.” He however said it would be decided either by the ministry or the cabinet about ‘what exactly the government would do.’
When asked about the failure of government to provide promised support in past, he questioned: “How can they come back winning a tournament if we hadn’t done anything?” Mainali added that because the government helped, the team was able to return winning an international event.