Nepali Under-19 cricket team left for Sri Lanka Thursday for a week long training to prepare for the upcoming ACC U-19 Elite Cup in Malaysia.
The team will have net sessions for three days and play three practice matches against developmental sides of Sri Lanka before leaving for Malaysia for the Youth World Cup qualifying event scheduled to begin on August 20. Nepal is the three-time defending champion of the ACC U-19 event.
Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Nepal, Sumith Nakaldala joined the officials from National Sports Council (NSC) and Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) to wish good luck for the team. “Our dream is to see Nepal entering the Test-playing nations’ pool which is not easy,” Nakaldala said. “I wish the team all the best for the event.”
CAN President Binaya Raj Pandey hoped that the team would return with the cup for the fourth time while NSC acting member secretary Raju Shrestha thanked Sri Lanka for arranging the tour. The tour is a part of the celebrations of the 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Sri Lanka.
“I have a well-balanced side with a lot of experience and I believe we are going to win,” coach Roy Dias said adding that training in Sri Lanka would be helpful. The team is led by Paras Khadka who believed if his team played according to its potential, no opponent could match it. “The only thing that can harm us is over-confidence,” he said.
The winner of the event, or the runner-up in case Malaysia is the winner, will qualify for the play-off against Scotland for the qualification to 2008 Youth World Cup. Nepal is the defending plate champion in the Youth World Cup and has not missed the event since 1999.
Nepal is drawn along with Thailand, Oman, UAE and Singapore in Group ‘A’ for the ACC event while Group ‘B’ consists of Malaysia, Hong Kong, Qatar, Kuwait and Afghanistan. The top two teams from each group proceed to the semifinals to be held on August 27. The final will be played on August 29.
Squad: Paras Khadka (captain), Sarad Vesawkar, Mahesh Chhetri, Gyanendra Malla, Akash Gupta, Amrit Bhattarai, Rahul Kumar Biswokarma, Chandra Saud, Rom Shrestha, Sashi Keshari, Avaya Rana, Raj Shrestha, Sagar Khadka, Antim Thapa, Jagat Tamata (assistant coach), Upendra Prasad Bhattarai (manager) and Roy Dias (coach).