Nepal Captain Makes Passionate Plea for Cricket Giants to Tour His Nation
Following Nepal's impressive start in the 2026 T20 World Cup hosted in India, captain Rohit Paudel has issued a heartfelt appeal to cricket powerhouses India, England, and Australia. He is urging these nations to schedule tours to Nepal in the near future to help elevate the sport's profile in his country.
A Crucial Step for Global Cricket Recognition
Speaking to reporters at Mumbai's iconic Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday, Paudel emphasized the symbolic and practical importance of such tours. "It would mean a lot, especially if Australia or England comes to Nepal," he stated. "That would show world cricket that Nepal also plays cricket and plays decent cricket. This World Cup has shown that."
Paudel believes that hosting top-tier teams would significantly accelerate Nepal's cricketing development. "If Australia, England, India come, our cricket will grow. It will help globalise cricket more. It is very important," he added, highlighting the dual benefit for both Nepal and the international cricket community.
Addressing the Exposure Gap After World Cup Success
The Nepal captain pointed out a critical gap in opportunities following their 2024 World Cup participation. "We didn't get the exposure and experience we thought we would get after the World Cup," Paudel revealed. He stressed that regular competition against elite teams is essential for testing and improving their skills.
"It is very important for us to get exposure and experience of playing against some of the good teams and test our skills against them," he asserted. "If we get an opportunity of playing them regularly, at least one or two series so we can test ourselves, that would be very good."
Support from Cricket Association of Nepal and Former Captain
This appeal is reinforced by the Cricket Association of Nepal. At an event at the Cricket Club of India on Monday evening, secretary and former captain Paras Khadka specifically called upon the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to send Team India for a T20 International series.
"If this is the right platform, India-Nepal bilateral series, T20... what a wonderful series to watch," Khadka expressed enthusiastically. He noted Nepal's improved infrastructure, saying, "And now that we have floodlights and a stadium back home. We hope to invite some of the bigger cricket nations in our part of the world and play a lot of bilateral tri-nation series."
West Indies Coach Echoes the Call for Responsibility
Adding international weight to this appeal, West Indies head coach and former captain Daren Sammy emphasized the responsibility of full member nations. He believes playing bilateral series against associate teams like Nepal is crucial for the sport's growth.
Notably, West Indies is the only Test-playing nation to have played a bilateral series against Nepal—a three-match T20I series in September, which Nepal won 2-1. "Cricket is a team game. I think it's just like it's my responsibility to prepare my team. I think it's our responsibility to grow the game in whatever way we can," Sammy told reporters.
He elaborated on this duty, stating, "If that is Australia playing Nepal, or India playing Nepal, or the West Indies playing Nepal, it is our job to help spread the game and grow it. And if giving or playing against the associate teams, give them more exposure, an opportunity to see where they are, better themselves, I think it's all good for the game."
This collective call from Nepal's captain, cricket association, and an international coach underscores a growing movement to provide more competitive opportunities for emerging cricket nations, leveraging Nepal's recent World Cup performance as a catalyst for change.
