REPUBLICA, June 16: The second edition of the Inter-provincial Prime Minister Cup was concluded on Monday with the departmental team Armed Force Police (APF) Club lifting the trophy comprehensively defeating the other departmental team Tribhuvan Army Club in the final.
It is that time of the year when loads of Nepal national team playing XIs will start flashing on preferred social media platforms on who and why one should make the national squad. Without being relevant or important, the passion and commitment among Nepali fans and enthusiasts cannot be down played. Matter in fact; the cricket social media sphere is so crammed that even the national players are seen reacting hard to a random ‘Facebook Group’ post in pragmatic media interviews.
In an ideal world, this tournament would have followed for more than just two weeks or five-match-event. For someone like Anil Mandal, who has not been involved in T20 tournaments was only started to get into the groove. A monster run-maker in the domestic scene, a grafter and an accumulator has made innumerable come backs in the national team on back of such leagues. Not to forget, one of very few distinguish players from Nepal to have two 50-over centuries, one of them in conditions as hostile as Scotland. T20s do not suit him. 50-overs are happening too less. 3-day doesn't exist. For someone like Mandal, who can be ideal multi-day batsman, Nepal cricket has nothing to offer him, that bit of motivation to keep going. He is someone who can be Nepal's Murli Vijay or Justin Langer of yester-years.
In an ideal world, the PM Cup would have been followed by a short-long season of multi-day cricket matches, maybe a President Cup. Like Mandal, a host of players like Prithu Baskota, Naresh Budhayer and other youngsters like Sunil Dhamala, Shankar Rana, Rabindra Jung Shahi, among others, who look more suited to longer format, would have got that extra bit of cushion to pace their innings, season and maybe a place in the closed camp. Baskota put up half-cooked cameos in this season leaving things desiring for more. A bad shot selection or run-rate pressure robbed him his concentration and patience and had to throw, unlike his natural game, his hard-worked starts.
Traveling with the tribes
All due to the lack of quality match practice. Players just don't get it. Baskota has all the shots in the book, immaculate timing and solid technique. He is a glorious talent lost due to injury, majorly due to lack of matches back in home. Just a kind of player Nepal is missing on to nurture into a middle-order dependable batsman.
In a same breath, next name that comes to mind is Bhim Sarki. Also, fondly nicknamed as ‘Jonty’ for his acrobatics fielding displays, arguably the best in Nepal along the lines of Sagar Pun, doesn't put up a huge score like Pradeep Airee or finishes every game like Aarif Sheikh, but displayed just enough of his talent and potential in a couple of well-timed innings to impress many. Technically sound, pouncing on any loose ball, and above all, confidence to take the best in the business stands him out from the rest. He took a challenge to take on Basant Regmi in the final was a moment to savor. But Nepal can’t provide him further matches to take his good form to the next set of competition.
Similarly, statistics are helpful but never trustable compared to naked eyes of a proper selector or group of selectors watching a particular match. Pun is persisting with opening in 50-overs and scored that century in the semis against one-dimensional Province 5 attack (having Krishna Karki as only seam bowler, who can bowl at pedestrian pace at best) which included four dropped catches and a plumb LBW denied by the umpire. Statistics don’t have column for drop catches. Sandeep Sunar, someone who has hardly bowled in his career was the first man on the day to complete his 10 overs inducing three regulation outside edges off Pun, all dropped by keeper and first slip.
In an ideal world, Nepal needs that opener who is not traditionally bogged down by the theory of percentage of dot balls equivalent to capability of having a good defense to negotiate the new ball. It is not as easy as assuming or making expert comments though, but then if your bottom hand doesn't come into play even after playing 100 deliveries, there has to be some kind of technical deficiency that is need to be addressed with the likes of Pun, as an opener.
That brings to, Pradeep Airee who made that daddy-hundred to let the flood-gates open for his inclusion in Nepali top-order to boost aggression. Airee’s struggle to time anything shorter on length remains an issue but anything on his strong zone, full or wide, and he dispatched them for maximums. Credit to him, unlike his counterparts, Subash Khakurel or Pun, he is adept at fully utilizing the long handle on anything loose.
Khakurel is a class-act on his own but that nagging injury has stopped him from being his best self. Airee impressed most during his innings in the final, though. If we collectively see his performances, among others, he deserves the closed-camp spot. He had the range to play that brutal 158 in the league stage as well as a patient fifty in the final proving his improved fitness and concentration level. Above all, his determination to get big scores is what Nepal needs more than ever. Speaking about his determination, he even admitted to have eyes set on 200 after that match against Province 2.
In an ideal world, when Nepal should be looking to prepare three different squads for three upcoming formats, Nepal is still waiting on the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) to be reinstated and it will take further two to three months time. Meanwhile, Nepal can delve on possible players for all three formats in forthcoming days which include the ODI debut, the Asia Cup T20 Qualifiers and most probably the Intercontinental Cup, etc
T20I: Pradeep Airee, Anil Kumar Sah (WK), Paras Khadka ©, Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Rohit Paudel, Binod Bhandari, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Susan Bhari.
ODIs: Gyanendra Malla, Anil Kumar Sah (WK), Paras Khadka, Sharad Vesawkar, Dipendra Singh Airee, Rohit Kumar Paudel, Aarif Sheikh, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Basant Regmi, Sandeep Lamichhane.
4-Day: Anil Mandal, Subash Khakurel (WK), Gyanendra Malla, Paras Khadka ©, Sharad Vesawkar, Aarif Sheikh, Sompal Kami, Lalit Singh Bhandari, Basant Regmi, Sandeep Lamichhane, Susan Bhari.
