My heading might scratch some rebellious minds but my motives are all clear. The above statement is quoted inside inverted commas as it was from us to the Nepali Cricket Team after their tremendous performance at the T20 World Cup.

Nepal Cricket is no less than a magic house where sometimes rain, sometimes fate and sometimes decisions have fallen at the right place to favor our position. But luck sometimes has taken such a harsh way towards us that it took some special display from our talisman to get us over the lines. I can keep naming them from Binod Das, Shakti Gauchan, Basanta Regmi, Sarad Vaswerkar, Paras Khadka, Gyanendra Malla and Karan KC. Dipendra Singh Airee, Sompal Kami , Rohit Paudel and Sandeep Lamichhane have played their part when it comes to battling against the odds in the recently transformed history of Nepal Cricket.

The Turning Point came in Nepali Cricket when we beat all the odds in 2010 Division 5 after a stone incident the previous day at the TU Ground by the disappointed crowd let us down in the international arena. The following day we gained Division 4 Status after we moved ahead by the barest of all margins to leave Singapore below us in the process.

What happened after that was not less than a melo-dramatic ending to an anti-climatic situation that nicknamed Nepali Cricket Fans as Cardiac Kids in the international scenario. That Six by Sharad Vesawkar against mighty Kenyans, that spectacular catch by Gyanendra Malla in the UAE and the stand out innings to save ODI status for Nepal by Karan KC are few instances of many that has made us stand where we stand today in World Cricket.

Sharad Vesawkar shows his sublime touch during Nepal Cricket team's match

Likewise, to win 11 out of 12 matches to qualify in the recently held World cup and the Asia Cup was not less than a Midas touch of the ever loving human being than the coach of the Nepal Men’s Cricket Team, Monty Desai. The then newly reformed Cricket Association of Nepal under the ever resilient Secretary Paras Khadka is beginning to spark the new lights of a better Future of Nepali Cricket. But does this mean We just win hearts? Aren’t we competitive enough to resist the top level? The answer to the question is just similar to the baffling that is put through by the Camera holders mimicking the Media in Nepali Market.

I find it weird when I think as a layman as a cricket fan of Nepali Cricket. White ball cricket is what we compete for and we dream of being a Test playing nation. We have a proper Calendar now but the way we are moving our cricket is unbelievable. The domestic structure is not getting any shape as we are focusing more on white ball cricket and lack of investment in the grassroots level. Until we boom school cricket, college cricket and U-12, U-14, U-16 and U-23 we cannot rely on big revamps.

"The Crisis Man" Basanta weaving his magic.

The upcoming NPL which is already set to be The Next Big Thing of Nepali Cricket but generates the required revenue to form a League that is played throughout the year across seven provinces of Nepal. This will then set a tone to a firm domestic structure which will bank more players into the basket of Midas’s Garden from where Desai could pick some fruits that would really cure the disease we are supposed to have from the crowd point of view and that disease is termed as “Winning Hearts”.

The Captain in all smiles after the match

Inviting stronger teams or exposing own-self to some strong oppositions might give us experience to cope up with the competitive situations but that won’t be enough to win us games. But if we change the mindset of our players to play long innings too to price their wickets when it matters a lot would definitely change the whole ball game. We played splendidly well against South Africa and Bangladesh, teams that rely on their domestic structure that makes them such resilient power houses which on their day could tear apart any opponents.

So, Nepal winning heart in 2024 in their Second Edition of T-20 World Cup campaign after a decade with such young teams against giants of the game wasn’t a curse rather a boon that would suddenly have its impact in the upcoming days. We nearly dismantled Aiden Markram’s side and nearly outplayed Shakib’s Young Bangladesh with higher spirits in the field just being on back foot because of our nervy batting at the top stage which was not a bad show at all. The tide will turn into our favor for sure but we need to be ready to face it head on. That’s a loud call for a proper domestic structure all year around.

Karan KC's Roar with crowd backing him in full swing.

Till then let’s revisit this Out of the box shot by our own Sompal Kami against the mighty Anrich Nortje in his prime at the past edition of the T20 World Cup. The answer to all the critics for calling it a flop world cup show:

That's how you unleash yourself in the world stage says Sompal through his eyes.

Sompal Kami hit six against South Africa |https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lrxhqgEPpM