Cricket Fever Grips the T20 World Cup 2024: Nepal Confident of Beating Pressure-Laden Sri Lanka
The T20 World Cup 2024 has been full of surprises, with several Associate teams causing upsets against the Test-playing nations. This has instilled confidence in the Nepal cricket team, who are set to face an under-pressure Sri Lanka in a crucial match at Lauderhill, Florida, on June 11.
Nepal captain Rohit Paudel is optimistic about his team’s chances, stating, “> If you see in this World Cup, you’ll see that the Associate team is beating Test-playing countries. So, it is a motivation for all of us, especially moving forward to tomorrow’s game. So as a team, we believe that we are going to win tomorrow and the way we have been preparing for the last couple of months and the way we have been playing cricket for the last one and a half years, I think the belief is always there in the team and we are looking forward to tomorrow’s game.”
The recent upsets, such as the USA’s victory over Pakistan and Canada’s win over Ireland, have boosted Nepal’s confidence. Even West Indies and South Africa were given tough fights by Papua New Guinea and the Netherlands, respectively. Afghanistan’s convincing win over New Zealand has also defied many expectations.
Paudel believes that the low-scoring nature of the tournament so far works in Nepal’s favor, as they have prepared well for the conditions. “> Scoring runs is becoming harder due to drop-in pitches and conditions. The conditions in New York and Dallas are different from that in Florida. Florida has hosted the India-West Indies game previously. So, I think the conditions then and now are different and in the two-three days we practiced, the wickets looked good. If we respect the conditions and present our skills, we can beat any team.”
The Nepal captain feels that the pressure is on the Test-playing nations like Sri Lanka, who have lost their first two matches in the tournament. “> If you look at this tournament, there have been many ups and downs. So, the team believes, and more than us, as a team, the pressure is on the Test-playing nation. We will utilise the pressure, create the pressure and we want to win the game tomorrow.”
Sri Lanka’s struggles in the first two matches have made them a vulnerable opponent, and Nepal is determined to capitalize on their opponent’s weaknesses. Paudel is confident that if his team can execute their plans well, they can emerge victorious against the seasoned Sri Lankan side.
The Lauderhill pitch, which has been host to several close finishes in the tournament, will provide an exciting stage for the clash between Nepal and Sri Lanka. With the addition of their star legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane, Nepal will be bolstered for their remaining league games, including the crucial match against Sri Lanka.
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