Two years ago, Binod Bhandari scored a six off last ball, to win a T20 international for Nepal. That sensational match, against Kuwait, is the only proud moment for Nepal in T20 format.
In the ACC T20 match played at Sheikh Jayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Nepal could have avoided defeat only through that six off last ball. Binod lofted it atop cover boundary to tie the match. Nepal eventually won it in bowl-out.
Interestingly, this was the first international match Binod was playing. Had it not been for that six, Nepal would have lost the match. Mind you, Kuwait is considered comparatively weaker team than Nepal. Nepal tasted its first defeat against Malaysia and Oman in that very tournament.
In the youngest format of cricket, that the associate countries – especially Nepal – have not become used to, we’ve seen our team winning 7 out of 13 matches so far. Those wins include score of 129 and 121 while batting first against Maldives (Asian Games) and Malaysia (in 2007). On an average, Nepal has scored 113 runs in T20 matches, with the highest being 159 against Bahrain. In the 2009 edition of ACC T20, Bahrain was defeated in all the 5 matches it played.
Interestingly enough, the six from Binod Bhandari was the first ever by a Nepali batsman in that match. Altogether Nepali batsmen have been able to score 14 sixes so far. Gyanendra Malla leads the way with 4 sixes, while Mehboob Aalam and Binod Das have 3 each to their name. None of the Nepali batsmen have completed a half-century in this format so far. Dipendra Chaudhary’s score of 49 (Vs Qatar in 2007 and Vs Singapore 2009) is the highest score so far.
Problems in playing style
One of the reasons for Nepal not doing well in T20 is batsmen not adapting to the style of quicker format. Nepal played all its previous T20 matches under Roy Dias. He was a coach in the classical sense, telling batsman to play straight. Many say, batsmen could not play their natural game due to such instructions. But Dias is no more with Nepali team. He would be coming to Nepal in ACC T20 as the coach of Oman.
Nepali captain Paras Khadka says results could be one way of evaluating coach, but it depends more on the style of the players.
“Batsmen are not horses, who would do exactly what they are told. They need to have their style. T20 is an opportunity and we should get hold of that,” says Paras, “T20 has to be played differently, it is different from 50-over game. Out main problem are the dot balls. Normally, we give away 50-60 dot balls. If we were to hit a six every 10 dot balls, we’d have 30-40 runs more and we’d have a strong score.”
Nepali coach Pubudu Dassanayake says Nepal will change its playing style by scoring singles and twos off such ‘dot’ balls. “All Nepali players play in the same style. First I have been able to change their mental aspect. Second, there is problem with Nepali wickets. They support bowlers and not batsmen. If you bat first and score 140, you’re safe.”
Regarding Nepal’s weak performance, he says, “In the nets, they play all the shots easily. But they struggle on the pitch. Paras, Gyanendra, Prithu (Baskota), Pradeep (Airee) have changed their style. Some are trying to adapt to T20 format.”
Dassanayake opines that the players can’t play if they’re in two minds in this format and they need to play openly to succeed. “We will play in T20 style. We have to improve in some areas, and we’ve worked hard in those,” Confident Dassanayake says, “Our game would be balanced before ACC T20.”
Getting used to new style
Last year, Nepali team was practicing in strategic scenario training, before World Cricket League Division 5. Gyanendra was out attempting a reverse sweep, something Sri Lankan batsman Tilakratne Dilshan is adept at. ACC Development Officer Rumesh Ratnayake asked Gyanendra, “How much had you practiced for this shot?” Gyanendra replied that he had attempted it a few times. Ratnayake replied, “Dilshan practiced this shot 2-3 hours daily. Play this shot if you have full confidence, but before that take permission from your coach.” Before Gyanendra could reply, then Coach Dias said, “No permission.”
In the recently concluded SAARC U-25 T20 invitational tournament, Gyanendra scored 1 of his 9 sixes through reverse sweep, in Nepal’s win over Karnataka Institute. Nepal chased down 222 runs as captain Paras scored a fifty along with Gyanendra. “That six changed the course of the match,” says Dassanayake, “Binod Bhandari also plays reverse sweep and ‘scoop’ very well.”
Playing against good bowling in Maldives, he found Nepali batsmen ‘weak’. Players say, Dassanayake switched batting right from the first day, knowing Nepal’s weakness in T20. From the first day onwards, he has made them practice shots like reverse sweep, paddle sweep and scoop.
After unsuccessful ACC T20, in 2009, Dias had said, “Nepal will take some time to get used to T20.” Dassanayake, before coming to Nepal, had talked to Roy Dias about Nepali cricket. That may be the reason he said his objective was to take Nepal to semi-finals of ACC T20, when he landed here eight weeks ago. But the scene has changed now. Now his aim is to make Nepal lift the ACC T20 trophy.