Nepal’s captain, Rohit Paudel, has urged major cricket nations, including England and Australia, to schedule tours to his country, following a spirited performance against England at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India. The call comes as Nepal seeks to elevate its profile within the international cricket community and bolster the development of the sport domestically.
The Nepali side came within four runs of upsetting England in a last-ball thriller on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium, a result that Paudel believes demonstrated Nepal’s growing competitiveness on the world stage. “It would signify a lot, especially if Australia or England comes to Nepal,” Paudel said. “That would show world cricket Nepal also plays cricket and plays decent cricket. This World Cup has shown that.”
Paudel emphasized the potential benefits of increased exposure to top-tier cricket, stating that visits from nations like Australia and India would be instrumental in fostering the growth of the game within Nepal. “If Australia, England, India comes our cricket will grow. It will help globalise the cricket more. We see very important,” he added.
Nepal’s ambition extends beyond participation in global tournaments; the nation aspires to achieve Test status in the future. Prior to the current World Cup, Nepal had limited opportunities to compete against Test-playing nations outside of major tournaments and qualifying events. West Indies are the only Test nation to have toured Nepal for a bilateral series, a three-match T20 series held last year.
The team previously attempted to arrange additional fixtures against leading cricket nations following a narrow one-run defeat to South Africa at the previous T20 World Cup, but those efforts were unsuccessful. Even as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is reportedly open to the possibility of a future tour, logistical challenges posed by an already congested international cricket calendar remain a significant obstacle.
The recent close contest against England, as captain Paudel noted, has reinforced the team’s belief in its ability to compete at the highest level. “I was very proud of the way we played against England,” Paudel said, speaking at a dinner hosted by TCM, Cricket Association of Nepal’s commercial partner, at the Cricket Club of India. “It was a dream for us to play in the World Cup and play against England for the first time. And the way we played, I thought was incredible.”
Despite the narrow defeat, Paudel remains optimistic about Nepal’s chances of qualifying for the Super Eight stage of the tournament. The team continues to identify areas for improvement, with a focus on building upon the psychological shift experienced during the match against England – a newfound confidence in their ability to challenge elite fast bowling.
