The Nepali women’s cricket team created history last May after defeating the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Super Three stage of the Asia Region Qualifier in Bangkok. Nepal, which had never progressed beyond the Asia stage in women’s cricket history, secured a place in the Global Qualifiers, creating a wave of optimism and excitement.
The team, which consists of an effective blend of experienced players like Rubina Chhetri and Indu Barma alongside promising youngsters, not only earned a chance to script another historic chapter for Nepal, but also prepared itself for the challenge of facing stronger, more established teams.
Veteran player Sita Rana Magar, the most senior member of the squad who had missed the previous Asia qualifiers, has returned to the team for the Global Qualifiers. Her comeback is anticipated to add further energy and balance to the side. With young players in good form and the advantage of home conditions, the Nepali women’s team now embarks on a journey to make yet another piece of history.
With Nepal’s U-19 women’s team having already featured in a World Cup, a certain level of pressure also mounts on the senior side to match that achievement. Pooja Mahato, who captained Nepal at the U-19 Women’s World Cup, is also part of the senior team’s World Cup journey.
The Global Qualifiers, beginning next week, represent the final step toward the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The top four teams from this tournament will earn direct qualification for the World Cup.
Nepal has already announced its final 15-member squad for the tournament, with Indu Barma leading the side as captain.
Having reached the Global Qualifiers for the first time after clearing the Asia stage, Nepal now sets its sights on qualifying for the World Cup for the very first time. However, the road ahead will not be easy.
In the group stage, Nepal will face higher-ranked teams, some of whom have already played in previous World Cups.
Nepal’s primary objective is to qualify for the World Cup. The team has been preparing for this challenge for a long time.
Captain Indu Barma believes that every opponent will be strong and that victory will depend on performance on the day.
“All the opposing teams are strong. What matters is how we perform on match day. We have to give our best,” she says.
New coach, renewed energy
Ahead of the qualifiers, Harshal Jayant Pathak was appointed as the head coach of the Nepali women’s team. Pathak previously coached the Thailand women’s team, guiding them to their first-ever appearance at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Pathak’s goal will be to help Nepal achieve the same milestone. He has already expressed optimism about Nepal’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup. The players, too, appear motivated under his guidance. Captain Indu Barma described his appointment as a positive development for the team.
“His appointment is a very good thing for us. Ultimately, we are the ones who play, but working on our skills under his guidance adds some plus points,” Indu says.
Vice-captain Pooja Mahato also expressed confidence that Pathak could take Nepal to the World Cup, just as he did with Thailand.
Can history be made again?
By clearing the Asia Qualifiers, the Nepali women’s team opened a new chapter in its cricketing journey. Now, the challenge is to move into the next chapter.
If Nepal progresses from the group stage of the Global Qualifiers to the Super Six, and then finishes among the top four, the senior women’s team will qualify for the World Cup for the first time. This would be the biggest achievement in the history of Nepali women’s cricket.
To do so, Nepal must overcome challenges from Test-playing nations and teams that have already featured in the World Cup. Advancing beyond the group stage will require Nepal to play better cricket than it has so far.
Nepal’s first-ever women’s team captain, Neri Thapa, believes the current squad is performing well and is a genuine contender for World Cup qualification.
“Even though we didn’t get the opportunity, this team has. They are performing well. If they can perform even better, they can reach the World Cup,” Thapa says.
“Teams that reach the World Cup qualifiers are strong. Compared to previous tournaments, this one will require even more hard work.”
Nepal also has the chance to create history on home soil. Thapa said playing at home is a fortunate opportunity.
Pooja Mahato, who captained the U-19 team at the Women’s T20 World Cup, is now the vice-captain of the senior side. Her World Cup experience, along with her individual ability, will be crucial in the upcoming tournament.
Batting shows promise, bowling still a concern
The Nepali team has been training for some time ahead of the home-based Global Qualifiers. After starting with fitness-focused sessions, the team worked extensively on batting, bowling, and fielding, and also played practice matches against several teams.
Performances in practice matches suggest improvement in Nepal’s batting, something the team must carry into the main tournament.
Nepal played two practice matches against the United States and one against Scotland, showing strong batting performances in all three.
Nepal chased down a target of 139 against the USA in the first practice match. Against Scotland, while chasing 184, Nepal scored 156. In another practice match against the USA, Nepal successfully chased 157.
Former captain and senior player Rubina Chhetri said the batting unit now feels more comfortable than before.
“It feels a bit easier compared to earlier. We are trying to improve, but we still need to do even better,” Chhetri says.
However, Nepal has also conceded runs, and despite visible improvement in fielding, further progress is needed. Former captain Thapa also pointed out the need to strengthen bowling and fielding alongside batting.
“Our batters perform well, but there is a bit of a gap in bowling, and fielding can be slow at times. We need to focus on that,” Thapa said.
Inspiration for the next generation
Nepal’s U-19 women’s team played in the World Cup last year, and now the senior team stands at the final step toward achieving the same feat. Crossing this hurdle would be a landmark achievement for women’s cricket in Nepal and a major source of inspiration for future generations.
Nepal is also set to co-host the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2027. Former captain Thapa believes such milestones will strongly motivate young players.
“There is a big difference between our time and now. Earlier, we played U-19 and senior cricket too, and it was good,” she says. “Now the U-19 team is playing the World Cup. Playing at home gives Nepal an added advantage, and it’s a happy thing that there are more achievements now than before.”
She further adds, “It motivates the next generation. When such a big event is happening in Nepal, it makes new players happy too. Having these kinds of tournaments on home grounds is a good thing.”
