Ireland coach Jeremy Bray, in an interview on the eve of the ICC U-19 World Cup qualifiers, said: Nepal has a strong culture.
Not only the host of the event Ireland but most of the participating nations have naturally taken Nepal as a strong team for the past performance in the U-19 World Cups.
For Nepali team, who hope to rejoin the U-19 World Cup finishing top six in the 10-team event, the problems is the weather and the opening match against the regional competitor, Afghanistan.
“We have best available players for the team,” coach Jagat Tamata said. “Our first aim is to qualify for the World Cup.”
Nepal qualified to compete in the U-19 World Cups five times between 2000 to 2008 before missing it last time.
“Mentally the players are ready, and they are enthusiastic,” Tamata said during a training session in Kathmandu. Nepal’s training was marred by continuous rainfall.
Nepal, Afhganistan, Ireland, Scotland, Kenya, Namibia, USA, Canada, Papua New Guinea and Vanatu are competing in the qualifiers, possibly the last global qualifiers as International Cricket Council (ICC) already indicating that from next edition, teams will qualify directly from regional qualifiers.
Nepal missed the global qualifiers last time losing to Afghanistan in semifinals of 2009 ACC U-19 Elite Cup in Kuwait. In February this year, Nepal ensured a spot reaching the final of the ACC U-19 Elite Cup in Thailand before losing to Afghanistan in the title-clash.
Nepal is playing Afghanistan in the first match in Ireland but coach Tamata is confident that the team has capacity to beat them. “During the final of the ACC U-19, the two teams were equal, we lost only because poor field setting,” he said.
In the opening match of the ACC U-19, Nepal beat Afghanistan in the league round.
Ireland’s cold temperature is a headache for Nepal which is using early morning time for physical exercise. “Cold weather is a challenge as spinnes will have difficulties gripping the ball,” he said.
Nepali team consists of seven batsmen, two all-rounders and five bowlers. “Spin is our main weapon, and we have two left-arm spinner and a right-hand spinner,” he added.
Rahul BK and Bhuwan Karki are the left-arm spinners while captain Prithu Baskota who missed the ACC U-19 final due to injury, is utility spinner. Rahul, also a regular of national team, was chosen the best bowler in ACC event for his 21-wicket haul.
Nepal is scheduled to play Namibia in a practice match on July 26.
Nepal Team: Prithu Baskota (captain), Pradeep Airee, Naresh B. Budhaayer, Bhuban Karki, Krishna Karki, Avinash Karn, Subash P. Khakurel, Nischal Pandey, Shubhendu Pandey, Rajesh Pulami Magar, Sagar Pun, Fajlur Rahman, Rupesh K. Shrivastav, Rahul K. Vishwakarma