Author Archives: Ujjwal Acharya

Oman’s royal cricketer

On the field, Qais Khalid Al Said is like any other Omani cricketer. The big man with headband on his bald head is always longing to contribute for his team’s victory. Off the field, however, he is His Highness, the cousin of the Sultan of Oman and bloodline of the Al Bu Sa’idi dynasty, the oldest monarchy in the world. Al Said, 33, is a medium pace bowler and bats lower down the order; but his contribution to the cricket doesn’t end at the field. He is also the vice-president of the Oman Cricket and is determined to take cricket in his country, where mainly expatriates play the game, to a next level. “In Oman cricket is not a big… Read More

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Oman’s royal cricketer

Enjoy the game, accept the result

A sport holds its thrill in two aspects. First, there is sportsmanship and second, despite knowing the skills and potential of teams and players, the results are almost always different. Sportsmanship is when rules are followed. Players despite putting in their best efforts in every second of their performance, notwithstanding the results, accept the rules and results of the game fairly. If every team starts a brawl after a defeat, the game will hold no value. The fierce enmity on the field for the success is a beloved friendship outside.

Posted in Opinion | Comments Off on Enjoy the game, accept the result

CAN to ignore ICC provisions in new statute

Although International Cricket Council (ICC) has adopted a strict measure for independent governance free from government interference, Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) is not including the ICC-instructed provisions in its new statute and upcoming general assembly. In a communiqué sent to all cricket boards on November 11, ICC Head of Legal Department David Becker stated that the national boards are required to include the provisions in their statute by June 2012.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on CAN to ignore ICC provisions in new statute

Seamers help Nepal beat Kenya

Opening seamers grabbed six wickets as Nepal beat Kenya by 6 wickets in the ICC U19 World Cup Qualifiers in Ireland. Afghanistan, Canada, Scotland and USA also registered wins on the day. Nepal’s bowlers impressed against Kenya. The varied attack of Nepal bowled out Kenya for a meagre 107 in 48.5 overs at the Railway Union Cricket Club. Seamners Avinash Karn (3-27), Krishna Karki (3-27), spinners Bhuvan Karki (2-9) and Rahul Vishvakarma (2-26) shared the wickets for Nepal.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments Off on Seamers help Nepal beat Kenya

Scotland back on track beating Nepal

Scotland proved to be too strong for Nepal at the Merrion Cricket Club. Scotland batted first after a rain delay and was bowled out for 214 in 49 overs. Freddie Coleman’s 81 off 102 balls with six boundaries negated Nepal bowler Bhuwan Karki’s 5 for 41.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments Off on Scotland back on track beating Nepal

Celebrating 10th Anniversary!

Cricket Nepal celebrates 10th Anniversary today. It was formally announced on July 11, 2001 as a hobby with support from many cricket loving sports journalists, friends and View Nepal Pvt. Ltd. On this day, Cricket Nepal thanks all contributors, players, officials and well-wishers. Cricket Nepal will continue to document Nepali cricket.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Celebrating 10th Anniversary!

Forgotten promises

“Despite having good players, there is something lacking… The players don´t get to play enough matches. Expecting them to do well after playing only three 50-over matches is not justified… Two things I want to do are: hold two-day format national league and arrange for Nepali team to play in India…” Those were the words of Binaya Raj Pandey recorded on September 30, 2006 — a day after he was appointed the president of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN). Spoken at a time when the mismanagement and lack of cricket development initiatives had frustrated players and fans alike, Pandey´s words were quite soothing to the ear.

Posted in My Point | Comments Off on Forgotten promises

World Cup: ICC batting for money

Long before the euphoria of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the executive board of the International Cricket Council (ICC) accepted a recommendation that would ensure big money to the council, but ignore the overall development of the game. Last October, the board approved that the 2015 Cricket World Cup (CWC) will consist of only 10 permanent nations and there will be no opportunities for other nations to participate in the tournament.

Posted in My Point | Comments Off on World Cup: ICC batting for money

Financially independent cricket regions

Consider this: The Wai Wai Women´s National Twenty20 Cricket Tournament concluded at the TU Cricket Ground with Region No 5 defeating Region No 6 in the final. Region No 3 and Region No 4 reached the semifinals of the league-cum-knock-out event that also saw the participation of Region No 1, Region No 2, Region No 7 and Region No 8. Now, wait a second!

Posted in My Point | Comments Off on Financially independent cricket regions

Thank you, too, Dias dai!

“We nearly beat Sri Lanka,” Roy Dias, Nepal’s long-time cricket coach told his wife Tharanga over the phone after the completion of the Asian Games 2010 match. Tharanga was probably surprised, not only by the ability of Nepal’s team to put her country on the tight rope, but rather by the way her husband referred to Nepal as “we.” “We’re Sri Lankans!” she remarked.

Posted in My Point | Comments Off on Thank you, too, Dias dai!

Good bye, Roy!

In 2001, when Roy Luke Dias arrived in Nepal as the national cricket coach, nobody knew what exactly the tiny Himalayan nation would achieve under him and for how long he would stay. He was the coach of Sri Lanka in the 1999 World Cup in England, and that fact alone made us proud to have him. I always believed Dias chose to be Nepal´s coach due to an ego. He was fired immediately after the 1999 World Cup for Sri Lanka´s bad performance, and also because Dias, who is a strict disciplinarian, criticized star players for not playing well. He was labeled an incapable coach, and the only way he could prove himself was by shocking them with his… Read More

Posted in My Point | Comments Off on Good bye, Roy!

Nepal cruises to final beating UAE

Defending champions Nepal inched closer to the defense of their ACC U-19 Women´s Championship title on Monday defeating UAE by 81 runs in the semifinal hed in Yorker in Singapore. Nary Thapa once again played a captain´s knock, winning her third player-of-the-match award for her record-breaking innings that helped Nepal reach 156/3 in 25 overs. UAE, who were penalized an over due to slow over rate, could only manage 75/7 in 24 overs.

Posted in International | Tagged | Comments Off on Nepal cruises to final beating UAE

100 Wkts: Mehboob’s Milestone

Mehboob Alam is already a golden record book of Nepali cricket; and the 29-year-old allrounder from Rajbiraj put yet another feather on his cap Wednesday by becoming the first Nepali bowler to claim 100 international one-day wickets. On Wednesday at Navile, Italy, when Argentine batsman Grant Dugmore edged Alam to Mahesh Chhetri, little did he know that he was a milestone wicket for the left-arm bowler. Mehboob went on to pick another wicket in his 63rd international match to take his total wicket tally to 101.

Posted in Opinion | Comments Off on 100 Wkts: Mehboob’s Milestone

Afghanistan outplays Nepal to lift ACC Trophy

Afghanistan outplayed Nepal in the ACC Trophy Elite 2010 final. It was experience versus enthusiasm and Afghanistan used their experience at world level to recover twice during their innings to post 224 and used their bowling power to bowl out Nepal for merely 129 to win by huge margin of 95 runs.

Posted in International | Tagged | Comments Off on Afghanistan outplays Nepal to lift ACC Trophy

1000 runs for Shakti Gauchan

Shakti Gauchan, 26, became the first Nepali cricketer to complete 1,000 runs in international one-dayers during his half-century against Malaysia in the ACC Trophy Elite 2010 semifinal match at the Hubara, Kuwait. He now has 1,034 runs from 44 innings of 52 matches at an average of 27.95. His half-century on Wednesday was his fourth while he has also scored 106 not out against Italy. For a cricketer, who had not remained in the limelight, the achievement speaks more about his dedication and commitment to cricket.

Posted in Opinion | Comments Off on 1000 runs for Shakti Gauchan

‘Nepal needs ambition to break into top 10’

Matthew Kennedy, the ICC Global Development Program Manager, is in Kathmandu for the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division 5. He joined International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2000 and has been serving in the current position since January, 2004. On Thursday, in between his meetings, Kennedy talked with Cricket Nepal about the Program and the tournament. Excerpts:

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on ‘Nepal needs ambition to break into top 10’

Target is to win every game: Dias

Nepal’s target in the upcoming Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 5 will be to ‘win every game’, according to coach Roy Dias. Cricket Nepal talked to Dias, the former Sri Lankan Test player, during USA’s practice match against Kathmandu at the TU Cricket Ground. Excerpts:

Posted in ICC WCL Div 5, Senior | Tagged | Comments Off on Target is to win every game: Dias

Dipendra’s 12 years of cricket

Dipendra Chaudhary will complete 12 years of his cricketing career during the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 5. During these years, the 30-year-old from Rajbiraj experienced ups and lows and learnt a few lessons of life that turned him into a mature cricketer, among many other things.

Posted in Opinion, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Dipendra’s 12 years of cricket

Good bye 2009; Welcome 2010

Year 2009 was a year that would be remembered for the failures more than success; Year 2010 is a crucial year that could become the best year of Nepali cricket – or the worst ever. Nepal began 2009 with splendid victory in the ACC U-17 Elite Cup – the only age-group tournament that the country had previously not won. Five victories in five matches at the home ground in front of thousands of cheering crowd was spectacular morale booster.

Posted in Opinion | Comments Off on Good bye 2009; Welcome 2010

CAN must change structure: Warnapura

Sri Lanka’s first captain in Test and ODIs, Bandula Warnapura, also Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) Development Manager, is in Nepal to visit cricket facilities of the country. Warnapura, 56, is responsible for development of cricket in Asian region. In his second visit to Nepal, first one during ACC U-17 Elite Cup, he accompanied Andre Faichy, the International Cricket Council (ICC) event manager, who was here to assess the facilities for the ICC World Cricket League Division V event to be held in January 2010. In an interview with Cricket.com.np, Warnapura talked in length about cricket in Nepal. Excerpts:

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on CAN must change structure: Warnapura

Raju Basnet calls it a day

After almost 12 years of highly successful domestic and unexplainably fluctuating international cricket career, Raju Basnet has called it a day. At 30, Raju helped Region No 3 Kathmandu become the inaugural national Twenty20 champions and announced his retirement from national and international cricket.

Posted in Opinion | Comments Off on Raju Basnet calls it a day

Dias confident about winning U-17

Talking to Roy Dias before a tournament is monotonous – because he always has similar things to say. Some of his permanent phrases include ‘we could have more training’, ‘we are not looking at the final, we will take it match by match’ and ‘our opponents are tough’. This time also, he was not much different. But, yes, he was a little different on a topic. “My gut feeling is that this side is good,” the 56–year-old Sri Lankan said after a training session at the TU Cricket Ground. “I will be very disappointed if we don’t win the tournament.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Dias confident about winning U-17

Nepali Cricket’s Crashing Dreams

Every time Nepali national cricket team leaves the country, it instills high hopes in all Nepalis. There are always opportunities and there is always somewhere up to go; and normally a step ahead means dreams coming true. But, unfortunately, the dream always crash down with a defeat in the crucial match after a series of impressive wins. This has been a story of Nepali cricket for the last six years. Nepal has lost four semifinals in the last four years and every defeat has deprived Nepal of an opportunity to go higher in the world cricket. In 2005, Fiji defeated Nepal in the semifinal of the World Cup Qualifying Series Division II that ended Nepal’s hopes of playing in the… Read More

Posted in ACC Trophy, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Nepali Cricket’s Crashing Dreams

You need more grounds: Ijaz Ahmed

Ijaz Ahmed, former Pakistan Test and ODI player with experience of four World Cups, was in Nepal as the coach of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Academy. Ahmed. 40 was dubbed the Axeman for his stance and chopping down of the ball outside off-stump with dominant bottom hand grip. He played 250 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 60 Test matches from 1987 to 2001. His PCB Academy played three one-day matches against Nepal winning two and suffering an upset loss in the last. At the end of his first ever Nepal visit, Ahmed shared a few thoughts about Nepali cricket and more with NepalCricket.com. Here are the excerpts:

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on You need more grounds: Ijaz Ahmed

ICC Suspends Two Nepali U-19 Bowlers

International Cricket Council (ICC) has prohibited selection of two Nepali under-19 players in any national teams as a bowler for the suspect bowling action, a senior cricket official confirmed on Monday. “ICC sent us a correspondence reporting the suspect action of Sagar Khadka and Rahul Biswokarma,” Tanka Paneru, the general secretary of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) informed.

Posted in Youth World Cup | Comments Off on ICC Suspends Two Nepali U-19 Bowlers