Nepal cricket team captain Rohit Paudel© AFP
Nepal skipper Rohit Paudel has asserted that his team is capable of being competitive against hosts Pakistan and India in the 2023 Asia Cup, starting August 30. The Nepal team is all set to make their Asia Cup debut, having been clubbed in Group A alongside the hosts and India. “We are playing for the first time, and it’s a big achievement for all of us. Pakistan is a very good side, and we want to give a competitive game to them, as well as India. So, we deserve to be here,” cited Paudel during the pre-match press conference on Tuesday. When asked about the biggest difference between his side and the Pakistanis, he said that barring experience, there is not much difference between the two sides.
“The difference would be the experience. If you count on skills, both batting and bowling are the same (for both sides). But, if you count on experience, Pakistan is an experienced side.” “Both the teams have world-class bowlers and batsmen. Our focus is to win one ball (at a time), regardless of who the opponent is,” added Paudel.
The Rhinos are coming off straight competitive outings, having participated in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, where it finished eighth, followed by the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup, failing to progress beyond the group stage.
Paudel credited the two tournaments as good preparation platforms for the Asia Cup, besides admitting that the expectations are high from them.
“We had some good preparations. We played in Zimbabwe (ICC World Cup Qualifiers) and the Emerging Asia Cup. So, we are well-prepared.” “There have been a lot of expectations from us. All Neaplese have been dreaming for this Asia Cup.” “We have been playing for more than two decades, and it’s a great opportunity to represent our country at the highest level, especially in Asia Cup. So, it’s a big occasion for all of us,” he concluded.
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