MUMBAI, Feb 19: For the past three weeks, Mumbai, often called the hub of world cricket, remained packed with excited cricket fans due to the ICC T20 World Cup.
Five matches of Group C were held in the city, where Nepal played all four of its group games at Wankhede Stadium. Along with discussion about Nepal’s matches, the strong presence of Nepali supporters also drew the attention of the global cricket community.
Out of six games at Wankhede, high-profile matches such as India versus USA and England versus West Indies were also played, yet it was Nepali fans who became the main talking point in Mumbai. Nepal is considered the associate nation with the largest fan base, something even the ICC has praised.
But from Tuesday onward, the blue and red jerseys bearing the moon and sun flag will no longer be seen in Mumbai. Nepal’s campaign in its third World Cup appearance ended in the group stage. Finishing at the bottom of the group, the Nepali team returned home on Wednesday.
Nepal concluded its journey in the tenth edition of the World Cup with a win over Scotland. That victory was Nepal’s third win in three World Cup appearances. After securing a World Cup win following a 1-year gap, some players came into the spotlight while others had a disappointing outing.
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Playing at Wankhede, considered the center of world cricket and closely watched by franchise leagues, made this World Cup especially important for Nepal. Strong performances on such a global stage could have given players a major personal boost. That is one reason why the Cricket Association of Nepal requested that all of Nepal’s matches be scheduled in Mumbai.
Playing in Maharashtra, home of the successful Ranji Trophy side, made Wankhede particularly special for Nepali players. The presence of the Board of Control for Cricket in India headquarters at Wankhede also added significance for Nepal.
During the World Cup, Nepal drew interest from the ICC, Indian cricket authorities, franchise teams, and Indian media. Yet on that stage, Nepali players largely failed to prove themselves. Spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who has played in the IPL and most major franchise leagues, also struggled despite his experience.
In contrast, Dipendra Singh Airee sent a strong message by scoring back-to-back half centuries in the final two matches, showing that Nepali players can perform boldly on big stages. His confident batting was one of the few positives for Nepal.
Apart from Sandeep, no Nepali cricketer is widely recognized in world cricket, which is why much attention was focused on him. Observers closely watched his bowling, but his performance this time remained subdued and below expectations.
Since his imprisonment following a rape allegation, Sandeep’s form has not been the same. Global franchises have also stopped signing him. Expectations from the experienced spinner were high in this World Cup. In the previous World Cup in 2024, he missed the first two matches after the United States denied him a visa, though he had made an impact in the remaining two games in the West Indies.
That impact did not appear this time. Sandeep had a very poor tournament. He took only one wicket in four matches, which came against England. Although his four-over spell in that match was decent, he went wicketless and proved expensive in the other three games. As a result, he bowled only three overs in the remaining matches.
Questions about his performance were raised even in the post-match press conference, and Sandeep himself had to face them. Given expectations, it was natural to ask why he failed to deliver.
After the win over Scotland, captain Rohit Paudel acknowledged that apart from Dipendra Singh and Sompal Kami, individual players failed to perform well, and some star players did not meet expectations. “Dipendra Singh Airee has the ability to play good innings. Sompal also did very well. We must learn from them. I do not want to name anyone, but some players could not perform well. I hope they will improve in the coming days,” Rohit said
Since the 2024 World Cup, Nepal has played only one series against a full member nation, the West Indies. That means Nepali players get limited chances to prove themselves on the global stage
A platform like the World Cup was a strong opportunity for Nepali cricketers. Yet on this global stage in India, closely watched by franchise leagues, Nepali players largely fell short. Still, Dipendra’s fearless batting remained a bright spot. He is currently associated with Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League, and that connection is expected to strengthen his future prospects.
The failure of many players to fully use this opportunity is a concern for Nepali cricket. Even so, Dipendra’s performance has given fans hope. Supporters now expect other players to follow a similar path. With massive fan backing already in place, the real challenge is turning that passion into consistent performance on the field.
