Anurag Rijal – The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning. In my understanding, this is one quote that explains the ever growing cricket fan based in and outside Nepal, in the recent years. There was a time when even an ardent Nepali cricket fan would be familiar with no more than two or three Nepali cricketers in the national squad. I still remember a quiz competition I took part in during my school days, where I couldn’t recognise a postcard showing Shakti Gauchan, a prominent member of the team ever since he started playing.
The irony lies in the fact that, in those days, I could recognise every member of even the low profile international cricket teams like Zimbabwe and Kenya. I guess the situation was not very different in the case of every other Nepali cricket fan keen on following international cricket.
Times have changed, thanks to stunning displays from our heroes, leading to mind boggling achievements. And the important thing to note is that it has taken only about eight years for these changes to materialise. A cricket match at the Tribhuwan International Cricket ground, Kirtipur draws in thousands of spectators, coming from all walks of life. At times, it gets too tough for the officials and staffs to handle the massive crowd that pours in, something that may be difficult to manage, yet is extremely pleasing to see.
I am one voice amidst the thousands of Nepali fans who would like to see Nepal on top of the cricketing world. We have a strong belief in our team that we can compete at the international level, given the appropriate technical and financial support. The motivation provided by the senior team has encouraged even the Under-16 and Under-19 cricket teams to believe that they can perform at the international level and produce outstanding results. This motivation has driven us, the fans, to support cricket in Nepal and to play whatever roles we can, to see our players practising in well facilitated grounds using top class equipments, under the guidance of experienced coaches. Let us not cease to dream and to become proud fans of a proud cricketing nation. Jai Nepal, Jai Nepali cricket.
© Anurag Rijal / cricnepal.com 2014.
