So then, the dust has finally settled in and it seems that the feelings have sinked in as well. We played a ICC World T20 and fared quite decent over there. We would have definitely loved to have played against the West Indies yesterday instead of Bangladesh but then, the life is never really about perfection and to be honest, it was the best result we could have hoped for. Now then, what next? And did this tournament paved enough paths for future success.
Keeping aside the euphoria and emotions involved, what exactly did we learn? Cricketlok presents you the third and sadly the last part of this article series for the time being.
181885 1 150x150 What did we learn from ICC World T20?
1) Last Overs Crisis:- Well, this was one of those things Nepal was really consistent on. Cricketlok had pin-pointed the issue after both the previous games and sadly the trend continued. Here’s a staggering statistic:- Nepal had a combined score of 43 runs for 8 wickets in the last 2 overs of three matches. If only we could have scored 2 more runs in each 3 balls faced in that period, Hong Kong needed to chase their target against Bangladesh in 18.2 overs i.e. 109 runs in 110 balls. You know, cricket math is crazy affair but one thing is for certain, last two overs in each matches were the phases we were arguably at our worst. It would be really harsh to pin-point a specific batsman as culprit but then if you fancy there’s a website for you – Youtube.
2) Our pacers were better than we thought:- Now, this is really a bold statement but I have been advocating this for a while now. Let’s face it, we don’t have tear-away fast bowlers but then, who has them in contemporary cricket. Krishmar Santokie is opening the bowling for West Indies, allegedly the place where the batsman were asked to buy a car if they wanted to drive. It’s a high-time we get slightly less obsessed with a search of a tear-away bowler. Well, it would be absolutely great if we find one but let’s not do the hunt in the cost of some consistent medium pacers. Jitendra Mukhiya bowled yorkers at will, something that can be associated with very few in the history of the game. Sompal Kami broke the 140 kmph barrier, I wonder if some Indian bowler will manage that. Elsewhere, we have Avinash Karn who on his day can swing the bowl like anything. If we go little further we have Kumals, Sawads and Giris with us. Let’s make them the best they can be. Playing against seamers can still be hailed as our weakness but I for one would not agree to the popular belief that our seamers are not good enough.
3) Yes the NEW Nepal has finally arrived:- The political cliché of New Nepal is finally seen in cricket. A New Nepal which can stand up to the world and command the attention. A New Nepal which is unflustered even among the heavyweights of the world. Nepal has found an identity even apart from the Everest and the Buddha. I really hope a day would come when saying that Buddha was born in Nepal would no longer be the biggest claim of patriotism a Nepali can make and I can see that happening. If someone asks us about our country while we are roaming in the green belts of Nigeria, saying we belong to a cricket heavyweight nation would be a much bigger satisfaction than saying that we belong to a land where the greatest human being to have ever graced our land was born 2000 years ago. I would prefer it to describe my nation. My Nepal. The New Nepal.
4) ICC and its functioning are absurd:- To be honest, this was not something we got to knew after the World Cup but just that the World Cup exposed it like anything. The two associate nations who made the biggest impact do not have ODI status with them and are therefore uncertain as to what their T20 status is. You can argue that both teams fared badly in the World Cup Qualifiers and therefore do not deserve but then what exactly is status? How justified is that a tournament played in the most alien of the conditions where two of your best players are injured/absent decide your fate for next four years. The Netherlands missed some key players as they were on their duty in Australian domestic cricket and we know the Nepalese part, don’t we? While there is no doubt that neither deserved to play the World Cup with that performance and in fact would only get a look in if it was to be extended to a 17 or 19 team event. But status? Let’s give a bigger thought to the depth of the word. It’s not just the status, with it comes the funds, facilities and fixtures. Isn’t ICC supposed to be thriving on the possibility of expansion to new cricketing economy or use its money where there is a visible prospect of growth. No disrespect to any teams who has gained the status but I can clearly name 2-3 nations where it’s just a waste of resources. And yes for idealists out there, even I believe that this whole status thing needs to be scrapped but since we are bound to live with it, let’s be pragmatic enough to analyze the best way it can be handled.
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5) What next:-
We will be playing ACC Premier League in a month or so. We may discuss long and hard about the status thing but the fact remains that we will be playing 3 ODI nations in that tournament. Their matches between then will have ODI status and ours will be as good as the ones played in our backyards as far as status and records are records. Having said that, it’s the fixtures that matters the most and not the status. With the new-found confidence of beating Afghanistan senior team in a decade, we should and rather must aim to win that tournament. Anything other than top-2 finish would be marked with red ink in my books. In a crazy way it’s a time to be revolutionary, Let’s hammer the ODI status Hong Kong every time we meet them. Let’s send a message to the ICC that it is actually a 26 year old homegrown professional Paras Khadka who can lead the hopes of associates in long run rather than 43 year old ex-Pakistani aircraft attendant Khurram Khan. Let’s show them that it’s not just about slogging a six and playing dots after dots, it’s about finesse and craft, it’s about passion and patience. And as Barrack Obama said in his victory speech, “the best is yet to come.”
