Halla Sansaar (हल्ला संसार)

देशमा भइरहेको राजनीतिक हिंसाका कारण अर्को वर्ष हुने
ट्वान्टी–२० विश्वकप खतरामा रहेको बंगलादेशका क्रिकेट
प्रमुखले बताएका छन्। उनका अनुसार एक साताभित्र
स्थितिमा सुधार नआएमा बंगलादेशले
प्रतियोगिता आयोजना गर्ने अवसर गुमाउन पनि सक्नेछ।
मार्च १६ देखि अप्रिल १६ सम्म हुने
प्रतियोगितामा नेपालसहित १६ टोलीले सहभागिता जनाउँदै छन्।
बंगलादेशले आयोजना गर्न लागेको यो सबैभन्दा ठूलो खेलकुद
मेला हो।
तर आगामी वर्ष हुने चुनावअघि प्रधानमन्त्री शेख हसिनालाई
पद छाड्न दबाब दिँदै विपक्षीहरूले गरेको आन्दोलनले हिंसात्मक
रूप लिएको छ। अक्टोबरको अन्तदेखि भएको राजनीतिक दंगाले
७४ जनाको ज्यान लिइसकेको छ।
'स्थिति यथावत रहेमा कुनै
पनि ठूलो प्रतियोगिता वा त्यसमा सहभागी हुने ठूला राष्ट्रलाई
खतरा हुनसक्छ,' बंगलादेश क्रिकेट बोर्ड (बिसिबी)
का अध्यक्ष नाजमुल हसनले सोमबार राती भने, 'सम्भव भए
डिसेम्बरमा नत्र जनवरीमा यो तनाव अन्त भइसक्नुपर्छ।'
विश्व ट्वान्टी–२० आयोजना गर्ने तीन खेलस्थल ढाका,
चित्तागोङ, सिलेटसहित बंगलादेशका सबै सहर राजनीतिक
दंगा भड्किएका कारण प्रभावित छन्। गत हप्ता अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय
क्रिकेट परिषद् (आइसिसी) को निरीक्षण टोलीले
सुरक्षा स्थिति देखेर आफूहरू 'खुसी' रहेको बताए पनि वर्तमान
स्थिति नियालिरहने जनाएको थियो।
यसै हप्ता बन्दरगाह सहर चित्तागोङमा वेस्ट इन्डिज यु–१९
टोली बसेको होटल बाहिर सानो बम पड्किएपछि अन्य टोलीले
पनि खतरा महसुस गरेका थिए। सोही कारण वेस्ट
इन्डिजको यु–१९ टोली भ्रमण छोट्याएर घर फर्किएको छ।
बंगलादेशले जनवरीमा श्रीलंकाको पनि आतिथ्यता गर्दैछ।
त्यसपछि टोलीले फेब्रुअरीमा भारत, पाकिस्तान र
श्रीलंकासम्मिलित ५० ओभरको एसिया कप आयोजना गर्दैछ।
'अहिले राजनीतिक स्थिति जतिसक्दो सुधार हुनु नै
राम्रो हो किनभने श्रीलंका जनवरीमा आउँदैछ,
त्यसपछि हामी एसिया कप आयोजना गर्दैछौं,
त्यो अघि यो समाधन हुन जरुरी छ,' हसनले भने। उनी सत्तारुढ
दलका विधायक हुन्।
बिसिबीका कार्यकारी प्रमुख निजामुद्दिन चौधरीले आइसिसीले
वर्तमान स्थितिबारे जानकारी गराइरहन निर्देशन दिएको बताए।
'हामी उनीहरूकै अनुसार चलिरहेका छौं,' उनले भने।
आइसिसीका एक प्रवक्ताले सोमबार एएफपीलाई
बंगलादेशको वर्तमान स्थिति 'नजिकबाट नियालिरहेको' जनाउँदै
आइसिसी इभेन्ट्समा सहभागी हुने टोलीहरूलाई दिइने उच्च
सुरक्षा प्रŒयाभूतिमा जोड दिए।
क्रिकेट अस्ट्रेलियाका एक प्रवक्ताले बोर्डले
सुरक्षाको विषयमा सरकारको सुझाव लिने बताउँदै बंगलादेश
जाने वा नजाने विषयमा अहिले निर्णय नगर्ने
प्रतियोगिता नजिकिँदै गएपछि स्थिति हेर्ने जनाएको छ।
'खेलाडी र अफिसियललाई पूरा सुरक्षा हुनुपर्ने हाम्रो स्पष्ट
अडान छ, सुरक्षित भ्रमण हुनसक्नेमा हामी विश्वस्त
भएपछि मात्र टोलीलाई खेल्न जाने अनुमति दिनेछौं,'
ती प्रवक्ताले भने, 'प्रतियोगिता आयोजना हुने
मिति नजिकिएपछि सुरक्षा विषयमा जानकारी लिनु
हाम्रो नियमित प्रक्रिया हो, अहिलेलाई भने हामी केही भन्न
सक्दैनौं।'
अस्ट्रेलिया र वेस्ट इन्डिज दुवैले सन् १९९६
मा श्रीलंका गएर ५० ओभरको विश्वकप खेल्न अस्वीकार
गरेका थिए। प्रतियोगिता सुरु हुनु केही कोलम्बोमा बम
पड्किदा ९१ जनाको ज्यान गएको थियो। न्युजिल्यान्डले
पनि २००३ मा केन्यामा गएर विश्वकप खेलेको थिएन।
केही महिनाअघि मोम्बासामा ठूलो बम बिस्फोट भएकाले
न्युजिल्यान्ड खेल्न नमान्नुको कारण थियो।
सन् २००९ मा लाहोरको एक टेस्टक्रम
श्रीलंकाली टोलीमाथि आतंककारी हमला भएपछि पाकिस्तानले
त्यसयता कुनै अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय खेल आयोजना गर्न सकेको छैन।
पाकिस्तानले आफ्ना सबै घरेलु शृंखला युएईमा खेल्दै
आएको छ।

DHAKA: Cricket Australia has said it will take government advice on security in Bangladesh before deciding whether to attend next year's Twenty20 World Cup.

Bangladesh's Cricket Board chief Nazmul Hassan has said is hopeful the 16-team contest to be held from March 16 to April 6 can go ahead after the country's two main parties met in a bid to end a deepening political crisis.

"This (political crisis) will not carry on forever," Hassan said in a statement.

The England team celebrate winning the final of the ICC World Twenty20, 2010.
The England team celebrate winning the final of the ICC World Twenty20, 2010. Photo: Getty Images
On Tuesday, the deputy chiefs of the parties held talks for the first time, brightening hopes for an end to a standoff over January 5 polls.

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UN assistant secretary for political affairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, who is visiting the country to broker a deal, called the development "an important moment in the current context".

Bangladesh has been gripped by violent protests in recent weeks, with opposition supporters insisting that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina step aside before elections due next month.

Scores of people have been killed since late October.

"We have three very important cricketing events coming up in Bangladesh. The tour of Sri Lanka starts towards the end of January 2014, the Asia Cup is in February-March and the ICC World Twenty20 begins in March," the BCB chief said in a statement.

"I do not foresee any alarms in hosting these competitions as I am very confident that we will soon see the end of this phase of tension."

The comments came a day after Hassan said the key cricket meets could be "under threat" if the deadly political violence did not end by January.

The violence has hit almost every city, including the three host venues for the T20 tournament - capital Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.

Dangers posed to teams was underlined at the weekend when a small bomb exploded outside the West Indies' Under-19 team's hotel in the port city of Chittagong, prompting them to cut short their tour.

A spokesman for Cricket Australia said the board would seek its own government's advice on the security situation, but no decision on whether to go to Bangladesh would be made until much nearer the time.

Australia and the West Indies both refused to play in Sri Lanka during the 1996 50-over World Cup after a bomb went off in Colombo, killing 91 people, shortly before the tournament began.

 
Nepal defeated Singapore by a huge margin of 227 runs in the Journey to World Cup Cricket Tournament held at TU ground on Friday.

Singapore was bowled out for just 86 runs in 17.1 overs as Som Pal Kami and RK Pradhan claimed three wickets each while Jitendra Mukhiya and Basanta Regmi took two wickets each.

In the first inning, Nepal scored a massive 313 runs with the loss of five wickets in allotted 45 overs. Sharad Vesawkar again starred for Nepal with a magnificient 91 runs while Subash Khakurel hit 75 runs, Anil Mandal made 58 runs and Gyanendra Malla chipped in with 48 runs.

Meanwhile, Singapore's A Paraam was the lone batsman who reached double digit with 20 runs.

Nepal had defeated Air India by five wickets while it lost to Delhi Wanderers by 25 runs in its previous matches.

Altogether four teams are participating in the tournament – two teams from India and one each from Singapore and Nepal.

KATHMANDU, DEC 06 -

Captain Jumanu Rai scored a hat-trick to guide Nepal Police Club (NPC) into the quarter-finals of the Ncell Cup football tournament with a 3-0 win over Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club, while Boy’s Union Club (BUC) defeated Saraswoti Youth Club (SYC) 3-1 to keep their hopes alive of progressing into the last eight here at the Dasharath Stadium on Thursday.

In the clash between the two departmental sides, APF created the first meaningful opportunity of the game when captain Ganesh Lawati’s shot from inside the area hit the upright after he pounced on Ranjan Bista’s through ball in the 6th minute. APF were punished for their early miss when forward Jumanu cleverly chipped the ball over keeper Amrit Chaudhary from the edge of the box to put his side ahead in the 27th minute.

Jumanu and Yugal Kishor combined well to construct NPC’s second when the skipper guided the ball pass Chaudhary after controlling Yugal’s headed pass inside the area in the 65th minute.

Jumanu then completed his hat-trick six minutes later, cutting in from the left and releasing a powerful shot into the top corner. Santosh Shrestha had a chance to score a consolation for APF but he was denied by the alert custodian Ritesh Thapa in the 81st minute.

NPC coach Birat Krishna Shrestha said that the win was important but his side was not at their best in their first game of the tournament. “Considering our lack of preparation, it was a decent result.” APF coach Krishna Thapa rued on the missed chances and said it was important that his side now start preparing for the league.

In the second game, Ashim Jung Karki opened the scoring for BUC in the 17th minute with a sublime 40-yard freekick that SYC custodian Ashok Baral watched swirl into the top corner. Krishna Gopal Shrestha, however, levelled the scores in the 47th minute when he pounced on a poor clearance by Sagun Shrestha inside the box and guided the ball into the net.

BUC, who were in a must win situation after their 1-0 defeat to Manang Marshyandi Club on Tuesday, went ahead following Rakesh Lama’s cool finish inside the area in the 54 th minute. Second half substitute Kiran Rai confirmed BUC’s win when he fired home Akeem Baba Tunde’s cross into the top corner from the edge of the area in the 85th minute.

BYC coach Bijay Maharjan commended his players for their efforts after a hard-fought win.

RAJIB MANGAL JOSHI
Like being the Asian champion in football‚ it will be impossible to compete with Australia‚ India and other test playing nations. But what about the second tier of countries‚ which are the non-test playing nations? Well‚ here Nepal has a huge chance of being the best among them
The last over blitz by Sharad Vesawkar against Kenya heralded a new beginning in the cricketing history of Nepal. In fact, more than 6, 6, 2, 4 it was a statement. It was a display of both immense confidence and character in the present Nepali cricketing team, which was lacking during earlier times. No doubt, it laid the foundation for the final match against Hong Kong and the result is that Nepal is playing in T20 WC 2014. The very fact that the team dealt wonderfully under pressure oozing with confidence is validated by no other than Brian Lara in his Twitter commen. This means Nepali cricket deserves respect now.

Ever since the arrival of the new coach Prabudu Dassanayake, the face of cricket in Nepal has changed in a most recognizable way. Winning tournaments, climbing up in the divisional ranks, beating other non-test playing nations regularly mean Nepali cricket team has grown in stature.

Credit has to be given to the previous coach Roy Dias who came, saw and gave Nepali cricket team that competitive feeling, which hitherto had a laid back style. And then the appointment of Prabudu Dassanayake, it has really been a godsend to the country. The immediate impact from his arrival was seen by the change in the style of playing and the team craving for bigger achievements. His intentions were clear from the very beginning, one of them being the T20 WC2014 qualification. It resulted in a dramatic shift in the team psyche and very soon the team began to win every single match. From playing in the ICC divisional championship III and winning it, it was a fairy tale ride for Nepal. With that kind of winning form, the cricketing fans and the team slowly began to feel if the time had really come for Nepal to play in the World Cup. And finally it did come. And when it came, it shook the nation, which otherwise was living in a quagmire, disillusionment and political disenchantments. It has indeed brought a much needed hope, encouragement and positive vibe to the nation.

Prabudu Dassanayake has been a fantastic coach who was quickly able to pinpoint the core areas for the team’s success. He realized that more than the talent and skill, the team was lacking in ability to convert them into results. He knew the answer. It was the exposure. He then took the actions by helping the players to get international exposure as much as possible in a limited time. Much of what we see in the pitch and the results are the culmination of a long process of gap analysis, tactful strategy, preparation and effective implementation. In Nepali cricket’s case, luckily it has all fallen in place. Prabudu Dassanayake must be a happy man.

If we look at the sports in general in Nepal, we have football and cricket which outscore any other sports. For a while, let’s analyze the realistic possibility of the extent of moving forward in these sports be it in the regional or global arena. If we look at football, the first target for Nepal would be to become the SAARC champion. For that, we need to beat teams like India and Afghanistan, which are supposed to be the top teams in the region. Can Nepal do it? Looking at the recent matches we have played against them, it does not seem impossible. The gap is not that big. Then if we are the consistent powerhouse of the region, then our next goal will be the Asian champion. Can we do it? Is there a chance of beating countries like South Korea, Japan, etc?

Now let’s take cricket. Like being the Asian champion in football, it will be impossible to compete with Australia, India and other test playing nations. But what about the second tier of countries, which are the non-test playing nations? Well, here Nepal has a huge chance of being the best among them. Unlike in football, this target is very realistic. The gap is not much wide as in football as we have seen during the qualifying games in UAE and also I am sure that the Nepali cricket team and the coach agree on that. We just need improvements and this is very achievable. Nepal must make a plan, strategize it and put achievable targets so that it too starts getting recognition from the world sports fraternity. If we look at the world of cricket right now, it is no secret that BCCI and India dominate the sports with its financial power. Because of the greater proximity and reach, why should Nepal not try to attract the attention from the big powers and take advantage if it brings good to Nepali sports? If ECB and English players can help neighboring countries like Ireland and Scotland, why don’t we seek the same from India ? If ZeeTV tried to bring Nepal to the cricketing limelight in the late 1990s by building infrastructure and telecasting live cricket telecasts, there is nothing wrong in looking for other potentials too.

Finally, one of the most interesting comments that I heard during the match against Hong Kong was from former cricketers like Waqar Younis and Nick Knight. After seeing a huge crowd of Nepali fans in Abhu Dhabi stadium, they were quite surprised to state that Nepal is only country where there are more than 20,000 spectators coming for a cricket match and the number is the largest amongst the entire non-test playing countries. If I can see the potential and Waqar and Nick Knight have similar views, I don’t think ICC is not smart enough to put the money where the mouth is.

KATHMANDU, DEC 04 -
National team skipper Paras Khadka, known for keeping his emotions in check, broke down during a felicitation programme hosted by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) here on Tuesday.

As soon as the Nepal skipper was handed over the microphone his eyes were filled with tears. “I usually don’t cry but today I am not able to hold back,” Khadka said addressing the audience among whom were chairman of Interim Election Government Khil Raj Regmi, Minister of Home Affairs Madhav Ghimire and CAN officials. His emotions also brought tears to several eyes in the hall.

“I try to bring smile on the faces of the people by doing well in the field,” said Khadka who led Nepal to historical achievement of qualifying for the 2014 ICC Twenty20 World Cup. “If a vision of a person can bring so much change in the Nepali cricket then together as a nation we can achieve a lot,” said Khadka in praise of his coach Pubudu Dassanayake. “I would like to say that we will do our best in the World Cup,” said the captain still tears in his eyes.

Dassanayake said that when he took over the assignment in 2011 he was asked about his plans and laughed at him at his reply that it was to take Nepal to the World Cup. “But it has come true and we would like to repeat this success in New Zealand as well,” said the coach referring to the 50-over World Cup Qualifier slated in January in New Zealand.

CAN rewarded the cricket team members with a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000 each. Nepal qualified for the mega event in Bangladesh by beating Hong Kong by five wickets in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers playoff held in Dubai on November 27. The Nepali side finished third in the tournament by beating the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday.

CAN had also rewarded the crickets after winning the ICC World Cricket League Division 3 in Bermuda with the same amount. The reward comes a day after the government approved one million rupees award to each of the 15 members of the Nepali team who featured in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier.

Likewise, the government has approved Rs 5,00,000 to coach Pubudu Dassanayake  and Rs 3,50,000 each to assistant coach Dipendra Pratap Singh, manager Purna Lama, physiotherapist SV Subra and technical analyst Sriram Somayajula.

KATHMANDU, DEC 03 -

Nepal bundled out Delhi Wanderers for 235 runs in the Journey to World Cup cricket tournament at the Tribhuvan University cricket ground on Tuesday.

Nepal , playing without skipper Paras Khadka, Avinash Karn and Shakti Gauchan, bowled out their opponents in 44.1 overs in the game reduced to 45 overs each. U-19 bowler Sompal Kami took four wickets for Nepal while Ram Naresh Giri grabbed two to his name.

Nepal had defeated Air India team by five wickets on Monday.

Nepal i team which arrived on Sunday evening after securing third place in ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier and earning a place in the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup is playing the tournament in a bid to provide the Nepal i team a much-needed exposure ahead of the ICC World Cup Qualifier scheduled for January 13-February 1 next year in New Zealand.

Te tournament, which runs until December 7, features Air India, Delhi Wanderers and Singapore national team. Top two teams will play the title.

Watch Live Match HERE :

Kantipur Television is a privately owned television channel in Nepal. It is run by Kantipur Publications, which has multiple print publications such as Saptahik, Kantipur Daily Newspaper, Kathmandu Post, etc. and Kantipur FM is also a sister organization. It has also set up its online magazine.
Major Program of Kantipur TV  :

List of programs broadcast by Kantipur Television

• Call Kantipur: Reloaded
  
• Countdown Kantipur
• Double Trouble
• Disha Nirdesh
• Fireside with Bhusan Dahal
• Frame by Frame
• Ghum Gham
• Hamro Team
• Hijo Aajaka Kura
• Kantipur Aaja
• Headline News
• Kantipur News (English)
• Kantipur Samachar (Nepali)
• Katha Premka
• K T M (Kilo Tango Mike)
• Life is Beautiful
• Music Mela
• Rajatpat
• Sarokar
• Sajha Sawal
• Scoreboard
• Taal

 
Sharad Vesawkar may count Sachin Tendulkar as his all-time hero but boy does he finish a match like MS Dhoni.

He was at it again on Saturday in the 3rd place play-off against the UAE, two massive sixes off the first two balls of the last over yanking Nepal out of jail again, when they needed 11. The five-wicket win ensured third place, completing a remarkable rise (they finished 7th last year); their place at the World Twenty20 next year in Bangladesh was already assured.

Those last-over sixes were the third time in this tournament Vesawkar had finished a tight game with maximums in the last over: against Kenya earlier his three sixes came when 17 were needed; against Hong Kong, a six and a four allowed 13 to be fetched.

“There was no choice,” he said later, modestly.

“I had to play till the end as top order batsmen were getting out. It was happening for me earlier so I had that belief in me that I could do it this time as well.”

That was merely the completion of good work earlier in the field once again, Nepal having restricted the UAE to 131. That might have been a decent total, even a winnable one, especially when the pacey Kamran Shahzad was hurtling through a fierce spell across the middle overs.

Alongside Amjad Javed, who found some lovely outswing, the UAE were favourites until three overs from the end, when Nepal still needed 33.

“We thought that target was always under our control,” captain Paras Khadka said.

“In the middle overs they pulled it back a bit but we still had that belief. Sharad has been finishing matches very well for us and the belief was there.”

The UAE were left to rue an improved but still middling display with bat and in the field. They were, according to Khurram Khan, 15-20 runs short of a good total, compounded by fielding that let through another 15-20 runs. They prepare now for qualifiers in New Zealand, at the end of which lies a potential place at the 2015 50-over World Cup.

And though a place at the World Twenty20 next year is a massive achievement, Khan was disappointed with the finish to the tournament. “It is an honour to finish in the top four but by our standards I would have liked to play the final to be honest. We have set pretty high standards and are not very happy to finish fourth.”

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the the first semi-final of ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier between Afghanistan and Nepal. Meanwhile as we wait for the team updates you can read how Nepal enters to the next World T20 in Bangladesh and the views from the team members here. Toss: Afghanistan won the toss and elected to field.

काठमाडौ, मंसिर १३ – वेष्ट इन्डिजका पूर्व कप्तान ब्रायन लाराले ट्वान्टी ट्वान्टी विश्वकपमा छनोट भएकोमा नेपाली क्रिकेट टोलीलाई बधाई दिनुभएको छ ।
नेपाल ट्वान्टी ट्वान्टी विश्वकपमा छनोट भएको केही समयपछि लाराले एकजना नेपाली क्रिकेट समर्थकसँगको ट्वीटर संवादमा नेपाली टोलीलाई बधाई दिनुभएको हो ।
बधाईसँगै उहाँले नेपालले प्रतियोगितामा देखाएको खेलको पनि प्रसंशा गर्नुभएको छ ।

उहाँले आइसिसी डिभिजन ३ मा भन्दा अहिले नेपालको खेल सुध्रिएको बताउनुभएको र आफुले नेपाली खेलाडीको आत्मविश्वास निकै बढेको पाएको ट्वीटमा उल्लेख गर्नुभएको छ ।
नेपाल आउन इच्छुक रहेको बताएका लाराले चुनावका कारण नेपाल आउन केही समस्या भएपनि अब छिट्टै नेपाल आउने उल्लेख गर्नुभएको छ ।

KATHMANDU, NOV 28 -

Nepal recorded a nervy five-wicket win over Hong Kong on Wednesday to secure a ticket to the next year’s ICC World Cup in Bangladesh.

In an intense battle between the two sides trying to reach their first ever World Cup, Hong Kong scored 143-8 in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi after put in to bat first.

Nepal replied with 144-5, but only just. The match went down to the wire with Sharad Vesawkar hitting the winning run in the last ball of their innings.

After skipper Paras Khadka was run out on 46 runs in a terrible mix up with Vesawkar in the 19th over, Nepal appeared to be heading for defeat. Nepal needed 13 runs from the last over and Vesawkar hit Haseeb Amjad for a six and a four in the first two balls but could only manage to add two singles in the next three balls. With scores tied at 143 Vesawkar hit the winning run.

Vesawkar had done a similar job in their group stage win over Kenya by hitting 17 runs in the last over. Nepal skipper Khadka played a fluent yet cautious knock hitting just two boundaries in his 39-ball stay in the pitch after the dismissal of dangerous-looking Gyanendra Malla (30 off 28) and Sagar Pun (22 off 19).

Earlier, Nepal, young seamers, Jitendra Mukhiya and Avinash Karn shared five wickets between them to restrict Hong Kong for 143-8. Mukhiya, in particular, played a key role in containing Hong Kong taking two wickets in succession in ht 16th over.

Hong Kong were heading for a big total with Munir Dar, who struck two sixes in his 17-ball 20, in fine nick but Mukhiya dismissed the dangerman in the third ball of the 16th over before accounting for Mark Chapman (8) in the next ball. Tailender Tanwir Afzal then blasted 14-ball 25 late on to help post a competitive total on the board.

“I was confident that I could score the required runs in the last over,” said Vesawkar. Nepal play the semi-final match against Group B winners Afghanistan on Friday.

Top six teams qualify for the Twenty20 World Cup proper in Bangladesh. Depending on the rankings in the Qualifiers, these six teams will be placed in two groups — three in a Zimbabwe pool and another three in Bangladesh pool. Group winners will then join the top eight ICC Full Member teams in the next round.

Incidentally, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Foreign Affairs Madhav Prasad Ghimire had predicted Nepal playing in the World Cup three years earlier. Speaking during the inauguration of the 12th Soaltee Crowne Plaza Super-Six cricket tournament at the TU grounds in 2010, the-then Chief Secretary Ghimire had said: Nepali cricket should be taken ahead with the slogan, “Nepal’s target 2015 World Cup”.

Nepal 144 for 5 (Khadka 46, Malla 30) beat Hong Kong 143 for 8 (Mukhiya 3-32, Karn 2-28) by five wickets

Nepal joined Afghanistan and Ireland, becoming the third team to qualify for the World T20 2014 in
Bangladesh with a last-ball win against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi. It's the first time Nepal will be heading to a global event.

Nepal entered the final over needing 13 to win and Sharad Vesawkar swung a six down the ground followed by an inside-edged four through fine leg. Vesawkar was back on strike to face the final delivery with scores level and pierced a packed ring through extra cover to send Nepal through to Bangladesh with a five-wicket win.

Chasing 144, Nepal got off to a solid start, but Hong Kong kept chipping away every time it appeared Nepal was about to seize control. Tanwir Afzal bowled opener Subash Khakurel behind his legs for 16 and Sagar Pun made 22 off 19 before he was pinned on the crease by a full delivery by Haseeb Amjad.

Gyanendra Malla and Paras Khadka came together and added 33 for the third wicket before Malla heaved Aizaz Khan to deep midwicket for 30. Atkinson kept Nepal off balance with a series of bowling changes as dot balls kept piling up to bring the equation to 32 off 20 balls for Nepal to win.

Khadka only struck two boundaries in his 46 off 39 and cleverly seized on ones and twos to anchor the chase. He offered a chance to Jamie Atkinson behind the stumps on the last ball of the 18th, but Hong Kong's wicketkeeper-captain spilled it and in the process injured his right thumb before exiting the field for treatment. A front foot no-ball by left-arm spinner Nadeem Ahmed was slammed past the umpire for a boundary two balls into the 19th and it looked as though Hong Kong would crumble without their captain. However, Hong Kong erupted in the field when Khadka was run-out two balls later after changing his mind too late on a second run.

After sending Hong Kong in to bat, Nepal had bowled and fielded marvellously for the majority of the innings before a hiccup in the final two overs allowed Hong Kong to reach 143 for 8. Hong Kong had a handful of players cross 20, but none made it past 25. The dangerous Irfan Ahmed was the first of three wickets for seamer Jitendra Mukhiya, edging a short ball to Nepal captain Paras Khadka at first slip in the second over. Hong Kong captain Atkinson sliced Avinash Karn to point at the start of the fifth. The two bowlers shared five wickets between them.


Jitendra Mukhiya in his delivery stride, Hong Kong v Nepal, ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, quarter-final, Abu Dhabi, November 27, 2013
Jitendra Mukhiya picked up three wickets for Nepal © ICC
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The win also took Nepal to the semi-final of the qualifying tournament where they will meet Afghanistan.

"This is the biggest moment of our lives. Our childhood dreams have come true," Khadka said. "I think the boys have worked really hard for this and been pushing it in the World Cricket League and the Twenty20 format. I think when it mattered, everyone contributed, and I am really glad we have qualified for the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014. The tournament is still not over. We are now in the semi-finals and most likely to play Afghanistan. So, it's about time that we give them what they've been giving us all these years."