(Nepal Cricket)
Nepal’s captain, Rohit Paudel, exudes confidence as he sets his sights on a formidable challenge: defeating the Asian powerhouse, Sri Lanka, in their upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 group match.
In a tournament already marked by surprising outcomes, Paudel is resolute in his belief that Nepal is poised to be the next disruptor. With a mindset focused solely on victory, the underdog status of his team serves as a catalyst for their unwavering determination.
Placed in a group featuring teams from Asia, Africa, and Europe, including formidable opponents like South Africa, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, Nepal faces an intimidating prospect. Nevertheless, Paudel remains undaunted, instilling his team with the conviction that they can create a seismic upset by overcoming the Sri Lankan challenge.
While Nepal has only played one match thus far in the T20 World Cup, Paudel sees their upcoming fixture as an opportunity to etch their names in the annals of cricketing history. Not only does he envision a potential upset victory, but he also believes in his ability to cultivate positive developments within the team, fostering a culture of success and resilience.
Paudel expressed confidence in Nepal’s potential to upset Sri Lanka.
In an interview with ESPNcricinfo ahead of the upcoming match, Rohit Paudel conveyed his optimism about his team’s prospects. Reflecting on Nepal’s upcoming clash with Sri Lanka, the versatile batsman and all-rounder underscored the series of surprising victories witnessed in the current tournament. He emphasized how these successes have bolstered the confidence of the Nepali team.
Rather than viewing these upsets as mere coincidences, Rohit Paudel sees them as sources of inspiration for their forthcoming encounter with Sri Lanka, scheduled to take place tomorrow at the Central Broward Regional Park in Florida. He asserted that the team is fully committed to their preparations and expressed confidence in their ability to triumph over the former World T20 champions.
Rohit Paudel further emphasized that the extensive preparation and dedication demonstrated by the team over the past year will serve as the cornerstone of their potential victory against Sri Lanka.
“If you see in this World Cup, you’ll see that the Associate team is beating Test-playing countries. So, it is a motivation for all of us, especially moving forward to tomorrow’s game.”
“So as a team, we believe that we are going to win tomorrow and the way we have been preparing for the last couple of months and the way we have been playing cricket for the last one and a half years, I think the belief is always there in the team and we are looking forward to tomorrow’s game.” – Paudel told ESPNcricinfo.
According to Paudel, Sri Lanka is poised to experience heightened pressure. While acknowledging that Sri Lanka would prefer to avoid such a scenario, Paudel asserts that they find themselves in a more precarious position, particularly when facing Nepal in the T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka enters the match following consecutive defeats against South Africa and Bangladesh, and their upcoming fixture against the Nepali team is deemed as a crucial do-or-die encounter.
“I think team Sri Lanka is under more pressure than us.”
Realistically speaking, Nepal stands a stronger chance than Sri Lanka to advance to the Super 8 round. However, this scenario hinges on Nepal securing victories against South Africa and Bangladesh following their triumph over the Sri Lankan team.
