Avinav Chel
From prolonged political unrest, inflation, unaccountable system, to rampant corruption, & escalating lawlessness, we Nepalese have seen all those which we would have never desired for. We search for refuge among the ruins, we search for an oasis of hope among these parched sands of despair. Out of those few, cricket has risen as a beacon of hope and unity. It has been a source of collective pride to all of us. It has shown us that our dreams do come true, if we chase them with passion.
As a child, I used to fantasize our team playing the prestigious World Cup, but that seemed to be a thought too far-fetched. The nation had gone berserk when Sharad Vesawkar’s single took Nepal to the T20 World Cup. A few stray tear drops must have trickled down the eyes of every Nepali out of joy, as did mine. The long, elusive dream had finally come true. We no longer had to support Australia or India or Pakistan because we had our own team, heroes to call our own.
Giving all those three hours scheduled for our team, we forgot all our worries, all that mattered for us was to see our flag flutter high-hear our national anthem being played in front of international cricket fraternity.
Our stay was short, but long enough to embark an indelible impression on the hearts of millions of fans around the globe. The results might not show it at the end, but we all know how much of effort had been poured in to reach thus far in the journey that began 18 years ago. Our players, with all the odds stacked against them, with a meagre support from the concerned authorities, showed us that it needs only self-belief overcome the hurdles.
Our heroes have given us hope and recognition. More than anything else, they have taught us to believe in ourselves. Still a long way to go, but now we rest assured that we are on the right path.
By Avinav Chel © CRICNEPAL.COM
The author is from Biratnagar and currently pursuing engineering in Bangalore. An ardent cricket fan, freelancer.
