KATHMANDU: Last October marked an unforgettable chapter in Nepali cricket history, as Nepal played its first-ever three-match T20 series against a Test-playing nation, the West Indies. Until then, Nepal had never contested a bilateral series against a Test side.

Nepal made the occasion historic by winning the first two matches by 90 and 19 runs, respectively. The series, held at Sharjah Stadium in the United Arab Emirates, culminated in a remarkable 2-1 victory over the two-time world champions West Indies, an achievement that stands as one of the proudest moments in Nepal’s cricket journey.

However, despite the series victory, the Nepali players did not receive the level of acclaim many had anticipated. Much of the skepticism stemmed from the fact that the West Indies had not fielded a full-strength squad, opting instead to send a relatively inexperienced side. Even so, Nepal’s tactical awareness, discipline, and match temperament throughout the series earned widespread discussion and respect.

Drawing on the confidence gained from that experience a year ago, Nepal is now set to play its third group-stage match against the two-time T20 World Cup champions, the West Indies, on Sunday. With the exception of Sandeep Lamichhane, who did not feature in the previous series, all players who faced the Caribbean side are part of the current Nepali squad. In contrast, only two members of the West Indies team from that series remain: Akeal Hosein and Jason Holder.

Ahead of the World Cup, captain Rohit Kumar Paudel acknowledged the challenge, stating that it would not be easy this time, as most of the West Indies players are new to Nepal and unfamiliar opponents.

Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee during the match against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Photo Courtesy: CAN

Nepal arrived in Mumbai with the ambition of defeating at least one Test-playing nation in this year’s tournament. That dream nearly became reality in the opening match against England. Chasing a target of 184, Nepal reached 180 but fell just four runs short of a historic victory.

Nepali players are being criticized after suffering an unexpected 10-wicket defeat against the younger Associate nation, Italy, in the second match. Against England, Dipendra Singh Airee made 44, Lokesh Bam made an unbeaten 39, Captain Rohit made 39, and Kushal Bhurtel made 29 runs. While Dipendra and Nandan Yadav took 2-2 wickets, and Sher Malla and Sandeep took 1-1 wicket in the bowling department, no one had estimated that Nepal would suffer a defeat against Italy. However, while showing weak performance in all three areas like bowling, batting, and fielding, Nepal was unexpectedly defeated with 44 balls remaining in the match.

In this match, Nepal, batting first, made only 123 runs, losing all wickets in 19.3 overs. In response, Italy achieved victory in 12.4 overs without losing any wicket. Along with the victory against Nepal, Italy created history by winning its first match in the World Cup, while Nepal missed the opportunity for a comeback victory after 12 years. Nepal has not won any match since defeating Afghanistan in the World Cup in 2014.

“Nepali supporters are always disappointed when we lose. We want to maintain their trust in the team. That is why we must deliver an even stronger performance against the West Indies,” says Aarif Sheikh.

In such a situation, the match against the West Indies is also an opportunity to write history for Nepali cricket. However, the West Indies has appeared very strong in this World Cup. It has already defeated England by 30 runs in the match held at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India, and Scotland by 35 runs at the Eden Gardens ground in Kolkata. In the event of defeating Nepal on Sunday, the West Indies, under the captaincy of Shai Hope, will enter the Super-8 by winning three group stage matches consecutively.

“Nepali supporters are always disappointed when we lose. We want to maintain their trust in the team. That is why we must deliver an even stronger performance against the West Indies,” says Aarif Sheikh.

In the last World Cup, the West Indies was eliminated from the Super-8. This time, the West Indies team appears very balanced. This team, which includes five players playing in India’s famous Indian Premier League (IPL), has already hit 24 sixes in the previous two matches. This reflects the aggressiveness of the West Indies. The team includes players from Shimron Hetmyer, affiliated with Rajasthan Royals for INR 110 million, to Sherfane Rutherford of Mumbai Indians, Romario Shepherd of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Akeal Hosein of Chennai Super Kings, and Jason Holder, who plays for Gujarat Titans.

For Sherfane Rutherford, Wankhede Stadium is virtually home turf, and he arrives in excellent form. The explosive middle-order batter struck an unbeaten 76 against England at this very venue. Shimron Hetmyer looks equally threatening. Known for turning matches within a few overs, he scored 64 against Scotland.

West Indies captain Shai Hope, who has closely studied Nepal’s style of play, emphasized the competitive nature of the tournament, saying that this is the World Cup, where every team has the ability to defeat another, and no opponent can be taken lightly.

Although Captain Shai Hope has yet to make a major impact in the tournament, he remains a formidable presence at the top of the order.

The West Indies’ bowling attack has also been dominant. Romario Shepherd dismantled Scotland with figures of five wickets for 20 runs. Former captain Jason Holder claimed three wickets in the same match. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, who took three wickets against England, and Roston Chase, who picked up two, are also in strong rhythm.

For Nepal, Sunday’s match will be one of self-respect. If opening batters Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh give a good start and Captain Rohit and Dipendra handle the innings in the middle order, Nepal’s possibility will become strong. However, if the disease of losing wickets, like while playing with Italy, recurs, it will be a big blow to Nepal’s campaign to create history.

In the bowling department, much will depend on the performance of Sandeep Lamichhane. West Indies captain Shai Hope, who has closely studied Nepal’s style of play, emphasized the competitive nature of the tournament, saying that this is the World Cup, where every team has the ability to defeat another, and no opponent can be taken lightly.

As Hope suggested, if Nepal manages to secure a victory on Sunday, it could mark a defining moment and help pave the way for a brighter future for Nepali cricket.