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Summary
Reviewed by the editorial team.
- By winning the ACC Premier Cup, the Nepali cricket team secured their spot in the Asia Cup, returning home Sunday night.
- Kathmandu Cricket Association (CAN) Secretary Paras Khadka regards the opportunity to compete again against India and Pakistan as a major achievement for Nepali cricket.
- Nepal ensured their place in the Asia Cup for the second time by winning the ACC Premier Cup.
September 15, Kathmandu – The Nepali cricket team returned home Sunday night after clinching the ACC Premier Cup title, thus qualifying for the Asia Cup.
At the welcome ceremony, Paras Khadka, Secretary of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), highlighted that qualifying for the Asia Cup is a significant honor for Nepali cricket. He emphasized the importance of treating this achievement as a stepping stone for future journeys and opportunities.
Khadka praised the team for their outstanding performance throughout the tournament and noted that having the chance to compete once again against strong teams like India and Pakistan represents a major success for Nepali cricket.
“We are extremely proud to be back in the Asia Cup. The team performed well. Considering our recent experiences against India and Pakistan, this opportunity is excellent. We hope to deliver an even better performance this time,” he said.
Secretary Khadka also noted that aside from a single loss to Hong Kong in the group stage, the Nepali team exhibited excellent overall play in the Premier Cup.
“Cricket is a team sport. Winning brings out the best in everyone, while criticism is natural when losing. However, overall, our team is progressing in the right direction. There is a need to improve the ODI structure, but we should focus on the positives from this tournament.”
According to Paras, winning the title in Malaysia not only secured Nepal’s ticket to the Asia Cup but also validated Nepal’s level in associate cricket.
“Winning an ACC tournament abroad is an achievement in itself. Asian competition is not easy, but our team performed excellently to lift the trophy. Amid the recent difficulties faced by the country, this victory has brought some happiness to Nepalis,” he added.
He also mentioned that CAN continues to be dedicated to strengthening national unity through cricket.
Following qualification for the Asia Cup, Paras informed that the Nepali cricket team will have a busy schedule over the next seven to eight months. Their focus will now be on the Asian Games, Nepal Premier League (NPL), ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, and various bilateral series.
“Our calendar for the next year is almost finalized. We now have a chance to win medals at the Asian Games. After that, we’ll prepare for the NPL, ODI cricket, and bilateral series. Details will be announced according to each competition,” said Khadka.
Nepal has secured Asia Cup qualification for the second time by winning the ACC Premier Cup. Previously, they had also played in the Asia Cup in 2023 after winning the Premier Cup title that year.
