As Nepali cricket team is to start its Division 4 campaign inMalaysiafrom Monday, Binod Pandey made an email interview with Nepali captain Paras Khadka, who is leading the team inMalaysia. Excerpts:
How difficult is it to play world cricket league abroad?
World Cricket League is the best opportunity for any team to qualify into the 50-over World Cup. It provides equal opportunity to all. More than difficulty, it becomes pretty hard for teams to maintain that consistency and move up the ladder as only two teams can make it through to the higher level.
According to stats, most of the hosts have achieved promotion in World Cricket League. What would you say?
Being a host team has its advantages in terms of knowing local conditions and everything but then in the end you have to play good cricket to be called a good team and that is what matters.
After last division 4, Nepali players have not played any 50-over match at the international level. Meanwhile, there was no 50-over domestic tournament in last 15 months. What could be the effects? Even U19 players have not shown patience to play 50 overs during the recently concluded U-19 World Cup.
It’s true that we have not played enough 50-over international matches but a team cannot put that as an excuse. However, we touredSri Lankaand got some good matches there recently. There will always be pros and cons regarding that but we have to put everything aside and move forward positively. Patience is the key to success especially in this format.
How are you taking Malaysian team, coached by your former coach Roy Dias? Malaysia is also the host this time.
Roysir is a professional and as a professional coach you have to travel and coach different teams. That’s how international sports function. We are here to compete against each and every team and ultimately to win the tournament. That’s our motto and as a team and a cricket country we know this is our final chance to try and compete for the 2015 World Cup!!