Author Archives: binod

Cricket Association of Nepal has finalized a 30-member preliminary squad, including veteran off-spinner Sanjam Regmi, another spinner Rahul BK, fast bowlers Amrit Bhattarai and Chandra Saud, for the upcoming ICC World T20. The biggest tournament of T20 format will begin in Bangladesh on March 16. Nepal qualified for the mega event after finishing third in the ICC World T20 qualifiers held in the UAE in November. The International Cricket Council (ICC) had set the deadline of January 16 for the registration of the preliminary squad. Cricket Nepal learnt that it had sent the list to the world cricket governing body ahead of the deadline. The players were selected on the recommendation of coach Pubudu Dassanayake while he was in New… Read More

Nepali cricket team is on the brink of its maiden T20 World Cup, with only Hong Kong standing between it and glory. Wednesday’s clash against Hong Kong in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, UAE is the biggest match of the national squad in its 17-year history. If Nepal wins the match, it will qualify for the T20 World Cup to be held in Bangladesh next year. The losing side will get another playoff opportunity to secure berth in the sporting extravaganza. Nepal’s skipper Paras Khadka says his men will have to play to the best of their abilities if they are to defeat Hong Kong, which finished as Group A runner-up in… Read More

Entire country seems to be gripped by cricket fever, thanks to Team Nepal playing in the World T20 qualifiers and just one victory away from playing its maiden World T20. Nepal faces Hong Kong on Wednesday in the second round of the ICC World T20 Qualifiers in the UAE, and a win in this match will secure Nepal’s place in the finals to be held next year in Bangladesh. Not only cricket fans but those with little or no knowledge of cricket are eagerly waiting for Nepal’s upcoming match. However, three well-known Nepali cricketers — former captain Binod Das, Prithu Baskota and Sanjam Regmi — have missed the qualifiers due to injuries. Das and Regmi have been regular members of… Read More

In some ways ICC World T20 Qualifiers is a ‘Turning Point’ for Nepal. Two years ago, at the same tournament, Team Nepal was able to gauge what challenges it was to face in future. At the same time, it was able to get a pulse of its competitors. Many think, the experience of two years ago would help Nepal turn its fortunes and qualify for World T20 this time. When Nepal was stopped in ICC World Cricket League Division 4, in 2010, then coach of Afghanistan, Taj Malik, had said, “Nepali standard is very high. But Nepali players are in awe of big names in other teams. Once Nepal crosses a level and beats a big team, it will start… Read More

With the aim of playing the World T20, Nepali team has reached the United Arab Emirates to compete in the qualifiers that begins on Friday. The top six teams will qualify for the final to be held next year in Bangladesh. Here is what former captains had to say about the Nepali team, role of coach Pubudu Dassanayake and its qualification chances. Uttam Karmacharya Considering the team, its performance and investment of CAN, I am optimistic that Nepal will reach the World Cup. The match exposure in later stages will be helpful in realizing our dream of finishing in the top-six. The training was also quite satisfactory but there might be weaknesses in fielding. Skipper Paras Khadka and Gyanendra Malla… Read More

As Nepali national cricket team is all set to leave Kathmandu on Sunday for the ICC World T20 Qualifiers to be held in the UAE from next week, skipper Paras Khadka defines the tournament as an opportunity rather than a challenge for his team. It is only the way for Nepal to reach World T20 to be held in Bangladesh in 2014.  The participating 16 teams are slated in two groups for the qualifiers. The winners of both the groups will directly qualify for the World T20 while teams within top five in each group get into the second round of the qualifiers. Top six teams of the qualifiers will get tickets to Bangladesh. In this circumstances coach Pubudu Dassanayake… Read More

With only 10 days remaining for Nepal team to go for World T20 Cup Qualifiers in UAE, it could not train on Friday as the ground was not available for the players. The team was scheduled to train at the TU grounds, Kirtipur. Wai Wai U-19 Regional Selection of Region no 3 was being held at the ground. At the same time, the wicket was also not in a condition for net practice either. The team had no other option than to conduct physical training and remain as the spectators at the U-19 selection match. The team returned home on Wednesday after 10-day long Delhi tour to prepare for the qualifiers. It was planning to conduct some important strategic training… Read More

After representing Nepali cricket for 11 years at the international level, cricketer Sharad Vesawkar received a naturalized citizenship of the country only on Sunday under the provision of Nepal Citizenship Act 2063. Home Ministry handed over the citizenship certificate to Vesawkar on Sunday as a recognition for his special contribution to Nepali sport. Vesawkar had taken an oath promising that he would always be loyal to the nation. Vesawkar, a son of Nepali mother and Indian father, had been seeking citizenship certificate for the last 15 years. Vesawkar and his mother Himali Khadka live in Siphal, Kathmandu. “After receiving it, I feel that Nepali cricket fraternity has achieved something. I was used to the situation but people were concerned about… Read More

Shakti Gauchan becomes the second Nepali bowler to grab 100 wickets in international one-day matches. He achieved the milestone when Italian Munasinghe was trapped leg-before in the final league match of the World Cricket League Division 3 at St. Davids, Bermuda. Nepal won the match by 8 wickets in 14.5 overs after bowling out Italy for 127 runs – Shakti returning with splendid figure of 10-2-15-2. He is only second to Mehboob Alam who achieved 100 wickets in 63 games. Shakti needed 77 games – the most by any Nepali players. All-rounder Shakti is also the first Nepali player to score 1,000 runs in international one-dayers. In WCL Div 3, Shakti has struggled as bowler. He has so far only… Read More

Spinner Bhuwan Karki will get a chance to train with Indian Premier League (IPL) side Rajasthan Royals for a month, unless and until any unruly happens. Nepali national team coach Pubudu Dassanayake has arranged thre training program for Karki with the IPL side owned by Bollywood beauty Shilpa Shetty. Dassanayake made the training arrangement using his personal relation with the Rajasthan Royals Coach Monty Desai. Dassanayake, who was the coach of Canada from 2007 to 2011, has a good relation with Desai, who was the consultant coach of the Canada team during World T20 Qualifiers held in the UAE last year. Desai had called Nepali all-rounder Shakti Gauchan to Rajasthan for trial last year after watching latter’s performances in the… Read More

Four months after winning the ACC Trophy Elite in the UAE, Nepali cricketers are yet to receive state honor for the national team´s biggest achievement in international cricket. However, some non-resident Nepalis (NRNs) in the UAE have expressed willingness to lend their helping hands to build an indoor training facility for the cricketers. NRN UAE and Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) are planning to construct an indoor facility at Mulpani cricket ground before the onset of monsoon. “We are planning to bring the facility into operation by the end of this summer (Jestha) so that our players can practice during the rainy season,” CAN President Tanka Angbuhang said during a press conference organized in the capital on Saturday. According to… Read More

National cricket team skipper Paras Khadka has said indifference of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has affected the players’ performance. Khadka made such comment during a seminar organized by Shepherd College in the capital on Sunday. “Apart from playing cricket, players should also take the responsibility to make the cricket management accountable,” said Khadka, “CAN is not dynamic. Until and unless CAN hires paid staff it cannot run smoothly.” Khadka opined that CAN is running in an unprofessional manner. “A handful of people are taking advantage as volunteers in the name of social service. Players do not even get prizes easily after winning big tournaments,” said Khadka who opined that CAN officials should look for sponsors to promote cricket. CAN… Read More

Two centuries in a T20 cricket match are rare but the first semifinal match of the HotelDevoteeSPACupInter-College Cricket Tournament between the host Sudur Paschimanchal Academy (SPA) and Pentagon International featured them. Subendu Pandey scored century to guide the host SPA to 182/4 in allotted 20 overs but former national team player Mehboob Aalam clobbered 102 runs to overshadow the former and guide Pentagon to a six-wicket victory in 15.4 overs. Aalam faced 40 balls and struck seven boundaries and 10 sixes. Aalam reached the 100-mark off only just 38 balls and was adjudged man-of-the-match. Aalam received Rs 5,000 from the organizers while former volleyball player Jagadish Bhatta handed over Rs 2,000 from his personal account to applaud the entertaining performance.… Read More

Triton International College, Kathmandu defeated Tripura Sundari College, Achham by 53 runs on Thursday in the Hotel Devotee SPA Cup, inter college cricket tournament, being held in Dhangadhi. However, defending champion NASA International has to toil hard to produce 3-wicket victory over Sunrise Higher Secondary, Kanchanpur on Thursday. Triton elected to bat and put up 184 runs in 19.1 overs losing all the wickets as Dipendra Chaudhary top scored 42 runs. Antim Thapa scored 34 runs while Sunny Pun struck 29 runs. Rajesh Pulami added 26 runs for Triton. Man-of-the-match Kesav Pant took three wickets and helped Triton to restrict Tripura Sundari at 131/7 in allotted 20 overs. Raju Sharma blasted 45 runs off 32 balls for Tripura and Prem… Read More

Nepal would not meet Afghanistan and the UAE in the group stage of the ACC T20 Cup to be held in Kathmandu from March 25 to April 3. Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is yet to publish the draw of the tournament, it is almost sure Nepal would avoid the UAE and Afghanistan in the group stage as ACC usually divides group as per the seeding given to the teams based on the ACC Trophy Elite. Nepal and the UAE had shared the title of the ACC Trophy Elite held in the UAE three months ago with a tie result in the final. However, Nepal gets the top seeding for the T20 tournament as the host and as it had defeated the UAE… Read More

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… Read More

National team captain Paras Khadka is to play club cricket in Canada. He has been called to play for Ontario Cricket Club and Academy for 4 months. He is preparing to leave for Canada in second week of May after completing visa related process. Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) and Armed Police Force (APF) – from which he plays – have already given a clearance to Khadka to play in a foreign country. However, he is to come back to Nepal in the third week of September, to play ACC trophy for Nepal in UAE. Paras told us that the club will have to release him to play for whenever Nepal plays international cricket. Nepal’s Canadian coach Pubudu Dassanayake is… Read More

Controversy has erupted in the Wai Wai U-19 National Cricket Tournament after an over aged player was not allowed to play while another continues to play in the tournament. Skipper of Region No 3 Kathmandu, Sunam Gautam, was not allowed to play the match against Region No 1 Biratnagar citing age bar limit while another over-aged player Hasim Ansari of Region No 2 Birgunj played against Region No 8 Pokhara on Monday. According to Kiran Rana, member of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), Gautam has already crossed the age to play in the tournament. “Gautam was not allowed to play in the tournament as his registration in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) during the U-17 in 2005 and U-19 in… Read More

Indian Premier League (IPL) team Rajasthan Royals called up Nepali spinner Shakti Gauchan for trial on Wednesday. Gauchan will fly to the Indian city of Nagpur on Thursday. Rajasthan Royals, looked after by Australian spin great Shane Warne as mentor, has been busy in its last training camp before the IPL in Nagpur. “Our national team coach Pubudu Dassanayake took the initiative and after several correspondences with the Rajasthan Royals officials, he asked me to go Nagpur,” said Gauchan. Coach Dassanayake has sent an email to Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) General Secretary Ashok Nath Pyakurel informing about the opportunity given to Gauchan. “This could be a great experience for Shakti (Gauchan),” Dassanayake wrote to Pyakurel. CAN will bear all… Read More

Shakti Gauchan took four wickets including a hat-trick and Pradeep Airee scored blistering 65 runs off 43 balls to script consecutive victory for Nepal in the ICC World T20 Qualifiers in the UAE beating Denmark by nine wickets on Wednesday. Denmark elected to bat first but they were all out at 82 runs in 19.1 overs. Gauchan was the hero of Nepali bowling attack. He gave the first breakthrough to Nepal in the first ball of his first spell. He bowled Shehzad Ahmed (11 runs). Danish top order got the start but could not turn it to big one. Michael Pedersen (13 runs) was short of the crease. Sanjam Regmi bowled opener Freddie Klokker (21 runs).   Denmark was at… Read More