The Nepali national cricket team returned home on Thursday after completing a High-Performance training camp in Sri Lanka following the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup.
The team faced tough competition, losing their first two matches to Pakistan A and India A, but ended on a positive note with a victory against UAE ‘A’.
Captain Rohit Paudel expressed his views on the team’s performance, stating that though they didn’t perform as desired this time, they remain optimistic about improvement in the future. He emphasized that success takes time and urged the team not to get overly excited after a win or disheartened after a loss.
“Nothing changes as quickly as you think. Nobody becomes Virat Kohli and Babar Azam in a month. It takes time slowly for that. We should not get too excited when we win or too disappointed when we lose. We all have to be patient,” said Rohit.
He also addressed the impact of social media on players and the importance of maintaining composure in the face of defeat.
“When you lose, you have to be a little restrained when questions come. The fact that players also look at social media has a greater impact.”
Drawing inspiration from Afghanistan’s gradual progress in cricket, Rohit emphasized the need for steady growth rather than expecting immediate results.
“Associate cricket and Test nations will be different, which is something we have to understand. If we win against associate nations, it cannot be said that we will win all matches against Test nations,” he added.
“Look at Afghanistan. They also moved forward slowly. We are hoping to win all the teams as soon as we go, but that is not practical. If there is a series between Afghanistan and England, we think England will win. Because Afghanistan is gradually improving. Change happens gradually, not everything will change in a month. We are improving gradually.”
Remaining optimistic about the team’s potential, he rallied the players, stating, “As many as 15-20 of us, let’s be confident that the coming days will be better. Because we know what we are capable of. I think we can do well as a batting unit.”
“As a batting unit, I believe we need to improve our performance and play our best cricket. India and Pakistan are strong teams, and we have been preparing accordingly. We will use the next 10-15 days to improve our skills and mentality so that we can compete with them effectively.
The ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup served as a valuable preparation for the upcoming Asia Cup. Nepal stands as the only country to have played a senior national team in this tournament.
Nepal is set to participate in the Asia Cup, to be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka from August 30 to September 17. The team is grouped with India and Pakistan in Group A.
