Nepal will lock horns with Pakistan on Saturday in the opening match of the ACC U-19 Asia Cup with a hope of upsetting the team from Test nation though the tournament itself looks like a Herculean task for young Nepali cricketers.
Nepal used to dominate almost every age-group tournaments conducted by the Asian Cricket Council. However, it has already become a history and Nepal has not won single age group title since 2009.
Participation of teams from Test nations makes the ACC U-19 Asia Cup more challenging for Nepal, which had crashed out from the group stage in the last edition of the tournament.
Following the recent success of Nepali national cricket team, fans have started expecting high in every cricket tournaments that any Nepali team participates.
Though fans are well aware about the situation, they can’t stop expecting high. In the case of the ACC U-19 Asia Cup also, Nepali fans have some hopes the young Nepali brigade could upset teams from Test nations. Even the sports authorities expect similar.
“We should not worry about who we are taking on. We should follow the instincts to win and give the best shot we have. If we are taking on India and Pakistan, we should not be afraid of the names,” National Sports Council Member Secretary Yuvaraj Lama told to the U-19 team while bidding farewell in Kathmandu.
Charged up Nepal U-19 coach Junga Bahadur Thapa also claimed that his team would not play as an underdog against any team. “We’ll not take any team as an underdog. We have good batting line-up and fielding. If bowlers maintain the bowling discipline we can upset any team,” said Thapa.
Nepal is in the group A of tournament alongside Pakistan, India and the UAE. Nepal will take on India on Sunday and the UAE on Tuesday.
Nepal had lost to Pakistan by eight wickets in the last edition of the tournament.