“We went to play in the United States, we went to play in India. Nepali supporters were there too. But they are not here in Nepal. That is really heartbreaking,” Nepal vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee said after Friday’s match against the UAE.
The ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series involving Nepal, the UAE and Oman is currently underway at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground. However, the turnout of spectators has fallen far short of expectations, prompting Airee to publicly express his disappointment.
Friday was also a public holiday, and many had expected a large crowd to turn up for Nepal’s match. The players, including vice-captain Airee, had also hoped for strong support from the stands.
But the expected crowd never arrived. The TU Cricket Ground, once packed during Nepal’s matches, looked largely empty despite the newly built parapet sections during the international fixture.
“Earlier, spectators used to come. Now they did not come even for T20 matches or League 2 games. I really do not know what has happened. As players, we expected supporters to come. Their presence gives us tremendous support,” Airee said after the match.
Nepali cricket fans are known for travelling across the world to support the national team. However, attendance at recent home matches has remained disappointingly low, forcing players themselves to urge supporters to come to the stadium.
Exactly three years ago, on the same date, Baisakha 18 2080 BS, Nepal and the UAE faced each other in the final of the ACC Premier Cup ODI tournament. Heavy rain repeatedly interrupted the match, yet supporters stayed at the ground with umbrellas, patiently waiting to cheer for Nepal. Fans filled the stadium on both days of the rain-affected final, and Nepal eventually lifted the title. Images of supporters backing Nepal in the rain gained international attention in the cricket world. But three years later, Friday’s match saw a starkly different atmosphere with very few spectators in attendance.
Some believe the nature of the tournament and the opposition teams may have affected crowd numbers. Nepal have frequently faced the UAE and Oman in recent years across multiple competitions.
Former national team captain Gyanendra Malla believes repeatedly playing the same opponents may have reduced fan interest. “It may also be because these are League 2 matches, which perhaps did not attract spectators as much,” he said. “The higher ticket prices could also be one reason. Personally, I feel the tickets are expensive.” He added that the economic slowdown and ongoing examinations may also have contributed to the lower attendance.
Nepal’s passionate fan base has helped the country win several awards from the International Cricket Council (ICC) in the past.
Experienced national team player Sompal Kami said the team has reached this level because of its supporters and urged fans to continue attending matches. “People used to come even when there was no stadium infrastructure. Now the stadium has improved. I just want to tell the fans to come. Keep supporting us with the same love. We have reached here because of all of you,” he said.
President of the Nepali Cricket Supporters Society (NCSS), Achyut Pandey, said crowd presence also depends on the significance of the match. “Nepali cricket has tremendous charm in the country, but that level of excitement was not seen in this series,” he said. “Spectators are also influenced by how meaningful the result of a match feels.” According to him, many supporters may not feel strongly connected to what Nepal stands to gain from the current series.
Pandey also said the weather may have influenced attendance. “The Nepal Premier League attracted fans because of international players and massive promotion. Compared to that, this series may have felt less exciting,” he added.
The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) is aware of the decline in attendance. CAN spokesperson Chhumbi Lama admitted that spectator numbers have dropped compared to the past.
“People should be coming, considering the love they have shown for cricket. But this time, it has not been seen,” he said.
According to Lama, as Nepali cricket continues to grow, supporters also expect Nepal to play against bigger cricketing nations.
Before the League 2 series, Nepal played a two-match T20I series against the UAE. CAN had expected large crowds for those matches as well and had even scheduled evening fixtures to create momentum ahead of League 2.
In previous T20 internationals, fans often struggled to get tickets due to overwhelming demand. This time, however, the turnout remained significantly lower.
Some observers have also blamed higher ticket prices for the reduced attendance. Tickets for the T20I series against the UAE were priced at Rs 750, while League 2 match tickets were set at Rs 400. Even then, only a limited number of fans bought tickets and attended the games.
CAN spokesperson Lama said the issue of low attendance would be reviewed internally. “In the past, people have paid Rs 500 to watch matches. Now we have a more organised international stadium, so we would not say the tickets are excessively expensive. But this has also given us a lesson about how much Nepali spectators are willing to pay. CAN will discuss this further and move ahead accordingly,” he said.
