Nepali U-16 team had to remain satisfied as runner-up in the first edition of the ACC U-16 Elite Cup held in Kathmandu in 2010. Nepal lost to Singapore then.[break]
The newly assembled U-16 boys are currently in the last phase of a closed camp training, which started 10 days ago, for the Elite Cup under the guidance of coach Manjur Alam Khan. Deependra Chand is the captain of the U-16 Nepali team.
"We have very short time at hand to prepare for the tournament. However, I am focusing the closed camp training on match scenario and match practices. Boys are improving in all departments -- batting, bowling and fielding," said Khan.
Khan said that players´ fitness is equally important. "I´m trying to make boys fit enough in the short training period. They are under pressure to be fit. As tournament is very near, I am also concerned not to put much pressure on them," said Khan.
None of the top performers of the recently concluded U-16 National Cricket Tournament has been called in the team as the players failed to pass the age verification test of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Aquib Ali Ansari, Bhim Sarki and Iklakh Ahmed are not in the team. Ansari was declared best batsman, Sarki the best bowler and Ahmed was player of the series during U-16 National Tournament.
"After age verification they were declared ineligible to play in the ACC tournament and we are now left with the sole option of putting together best equation from among the available players," said Khan.
"However, we have a bunch of talented players in the team like Deependra Chand, Adil Khan and Shashi Bhusan Mishra as batsmen, and Jagadish Chand and Kali Charan Yadav as medium pacers and Rupesh Banstola as spinner," added Khan.
Khan described the upcoming tournament as a challenge for himself and the whole team. "It is certainly a challenge for the team but challenges give us opportunities to prove ourselves," said Khan.
The U-16 team has been training 4-5 hours daily at the TU Cricket Ground under the closed camp. "We are developing this team as a balanced team and we ultimately expect to win the cup," said Khan. "Our ultimate aim is to win the title but to reach there we´ll focus on one match at a time," he added.
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