Nepal U19 women’s team ready to make their mark in World Cup

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 11: Nepal’s U19 women’s cricket team has been making headlines since November 2024 emerging victorious in the Asian Qualifiers for the 1st ACC U19 Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024 and 2nd ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025.

Nepal, who had lost to the UAE and Thailand in the Asian Qualifiers for the 1st World Cup in June 2022, bested the duo in 2024 and made history by qualifying for the team’s maiden World Cup which is being hosted by Malaysia.

Furthermore, the team of emerging cricketers created another page in the history book on December 16, 2024, when they defeated Pakistan, a heavyweight in global cricket, entered the Super 4, and finished the tournament as third, outdoing teams like Sri Lanka and Pakistan. 

“The win over Pakistan was one of the greatest moments. The win lifted our morale and motivated us to prepare and train harder than before,” said Puja Mahato, skipper of the U19 team, during the farewell programme for the team in Kathmandu on Friday.

Minister for Youth and Sports Teju Lal Chaudhary and senior officials of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) bade the squad farewell. The Nepali U19 team is leaving for Malaysia to participate in the 2nd T20 World Cup on Saturday. 

“There will be better teams on the World Cup stage. The government was equally happy when the women’s U19 team qualified for the World Cup. We believe that this team will leave a mark on the biggest stage,” said Minister Chaudhary.

Skipper Mahato and the team’s head coach Mahesh Prasad Rijal assured that they were prepared to create another history in Malaysia. 

Rijal was an assistant coach for the U19 men’s team when they played in the 2004 World Cup. Twenty years later, Rijal has taken the U19 women’s team to the World Cup as the head coach. 

“The players who were in the squad in 2004 took the helm of Nepali cricket afterwards. Now, I believe that the players in the U19 women’s team currently will take care of the senior women’s cricket in the future,” Rijal said.

After returning from the Asia Cup in Malaysia, the Nepali U19 women’s team had less than three weeks to prepare for the World Cup. They trained for 10 days in Chitwan and played a three-game friendly series with APF in Kathmandu.

“We won the final third game against APF. I want to let everyone know that we will also start the World Cup with a win,” Mahato stressed, adding, “We trained to improve in the sectors we were lagging.”

Nepal is facing Bangladesh, Scotland and Australia on January 18, 20 and 22 respectively. As per skipper Mahato, the team will seek a win against Bangladesh in the first game. It will be a revenge win for Nepal as they lost to Bangladesh in the T20 Asia Cup on December 20, 2024, in the fight for a spot in the final.

“It is all about how we play on the day. Anyone, including big teams, can have a bad day in cricket. All our focus will be in playing good cricket,” Mahato said. 

The team also seeks to improve in the two warmup games before the World Cup official matches begin on January 18. Nepal faces the West Indies and USA on January 13 and 15 at Kolej Tunku Jaafar Ground and Royal Selangor Club respectively.

“The warmup matches against West Indies and USA will be very helpful as a part of our preparation. We will look forward to winning the warmups and starting the official World Cup games on a high,” Rijal told The Rising Nepal.

“Ever since the Asian Qualifiers, our girls are playing good cricket as if it is a habit. I believe they will give continuity to the culture of playing good cricket,” Rijal added. 

Extending best wishes to the squad, CAN’s secretary Paras Khadka said, “Playing in the World Cup is a great opportunity in itself. We believe that the players will uplift the height of Nepali cricket when they face great teams in Malaysia.”

CAN demands cash prize

Minister Chaudhary gave some good news for cricket fans when he informed that the tender process to upgrade TU International Cricket Ground was in the evaluation phase while the budget assurance file for Mulpani Cricket Ground is at the Finance Ministry. 

There was also a good vibe when Minister Chaudhary stressed that the government had a strong belief in the young women’s team. However, the farewell programme turned awkward when the Minister for Youth and Sports started addressing the programme as an investor in private schools. 

“I am also an investor in a private school; not one, but two-three. I am also creating a world-class school in Lahan. Currently, many students want cricket facilities in schools. However, there is a shortage of coaches. The CAN should coordinate with organisations like PABSON and N-PABSON to improve cricket at the grassroots,” said Chaudhary.

Nevertheless, Chaudhary’s suggestions got a response from CAN’s vice president Roshan Kumar Singh as he concluded the programme with a speech.

“We have been planning to train cricketers at the grassroots in all the districts alongside constructing at least one training centre/academy in each province. But we do not have enough budget. We have also submitted proposals to PABSON and N-PABSON earlier, but no concrete steps were taken,” said Singh.

Similarly, Singh also expressed dissatisfaction with the government as the U19 women’s team was not included in the latest cash prize distribution ceremony.  

“The government awarded players from three sports recently under a prevailing law. I believe the Nepali U19 women’s team are also eligible for some cash prizes for their achievement in the Asian Qualifiers and Asia Cup,” said Singh, adding, “If the players were guaranteed of the cash prizes, it would be a great boost to their motivation while heading for the World Cup.”