KATHMANDU, Dec 15: Nepal's U-19 cricket team will kick off the ACC U19 Asia Cup facing host Sri Lanka on Thursday. Nepal's coach Binod Das will be looking for a win when the two teams face each other against his former mentor Roy Luke Dias at Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo.
Before leaving to Sri Lanka, Nepal's head coach Das had said that he wouldn't be emotional and would be seeking win against Nepal's former national cricket team head coach Dias. “I would be very happy to see him again in Sri Lanka. But my concentration will be on the game as I want my team to go for a win no matter who the opponent is,” said Das.
“He was instrumental for the development of many Nepali players including me during his tenure. I owe him a lot for helping me to be a good cricketer. But when we meet in Colombo, I would be in coach's role and registering win will be my aim,” said Das when asked about the feeling he would go through when he meets his former mentor.
Thursday's clash will be third meeting between the South Asian nations at the age group.
However, Nepal is yet to register victory over the Test-playing nation. Nepal had faced nine wickets defeat against Sri Lanka in super eight of U-19 World Cup in 2002 held in Sri Lanka. Second loss for Nepal against the island nation came in 2008, when it faced 51 runs defeat in the group stage of U-19 world cup.
Nepal hasn't been able to progress to the second round of the Asia Cup in last two editions. However head coach Das has said that his team's target would be to make it to the second round in Sri Lanka. According to Das, Nepal is capable of beating any team in age group if it plays to its potential and reaching to the semifinal was not an impossible task.
“If we play up to our potential, we can beat any team at the age group tournament. So I am hopeful over delivering positive result,” said Das before leaving for Sri Lanka. “Our opponents are better equipped and their system of player production is better than ours.
However, our boys are also talented,” Das had said before leaving for Sri Lanka.
In pictures: U-19 cricket team sweats it out at nets
