Kathmandu, September 14
The Nepali cricket team, which won the ACC Premier Cup title and qualified for the Asia Cup, returned home Sunday night.
Welcoming the team, Nepal Cricket Association (CAN) Secretary Paras Khadka said reaching the Asia Cup was a matter of pride for Nepali cricket and should be seen as a major opportunity for the road ahead.
Paras noted that the Nepali team played excellent cricket throughout the tournament, saying that getting another chance to compete against strong sides like India and Pakistan was itself a major achievement.
He said the team could take pride in returning to the Asia Cup, adding that based on their recent experience playing India and Pakistan, this was another excellent opportunity, and that he hoped for an even better showing this time.
He noted Nepal had performed well overall in the Premier Cup group stage, aside from a single loss to Hong Kong.
He added that in a team sport like cricket, wins bring praise and losses invite fair criticism, but overall the team was moving in the right direction. While some aspects of the ODI setup still need improvement, he said the focus should be on the positives from this tournament.
According to Paras, winning the title in Malaysia wasn’t just a ticket to the Asia Cup; it was also proof of Nepal’s standing in associate cricket.
He said winning an ACC tournament away from home is itself a major achievement, noting that competition in Asia isn’t easy, yet the team performed excellently and won the title again, adding that the win has brought some joy to Nepalis amid the difficult situation the country has faced in recent weeks.
He also said CAN remains committed to its ongoing effort to unite the nation through cricket.
Paras said the Nepali team’s schedule for the next seven to eight months will be busy following Asia Cup qualification, with the team’s focus now shifting to the Asian Games, the Nepal Premier League (NPL), the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, and various bilateral series.
He said the schedule through next monsoon is largely set, with a chance to win a medal at the Asian Games, followed by efforts toward the NPL, ODI cricket, and bilateral series, with details to be announced as each competition approaches.
This marks the second time Nepal has secured a spot in the Asia Cup by winning the ACC Premier Cup, having previously done so in 2023.
