Little has been spoken of the third side in India and Pakistan’s Asia Cup group, but one of the continent’s greats says he is well aware of the growth of the game in Nepal.
Nepal will play in the top tier of Asian competition for the first time over the coming days, starting against Pakistan in Multan on Wednesday. They then face India in Kandy on Monday.
The majority of talk ahead of the competition has inevitably centred on Saturday’s clash between India and Pakistan.
But Wasim Akram, a World Cup-winner with Pakistan in 1992, suggests the rise of the other team in their group should not be neglected.
The former fast bowler says he has seen images of matches in Kathmandu showing frenzied support for the national team.
When Nepal clinched their place at the Asia Cup, thousands of supporters stayed for hours on the uncovered banks of the Tribhuvan University ground as rain played havoc with their final against the UAE.
As the players returned a day later to play the game to a finish, the ground was again over capacity, with thousands watching on from beyond the perimeter wall, with many viewing the action from nearby trees.
That is customary for big matches involving Nepal’s national team, and Wasim says it speaks of a great passion for the game there.
“I have been following Nepal,” Wasim said, speaking at the Asia Cup trophy unveiling in Dubai.
“They qualified and have done really well. Cricket interest is humongous there. I have seen the pictures from one of the matches where the stadium was packed, and half the people were sitting in trees outside.
“That is the passion for the game, and it is only going to get bigger and bigger. Congratulations to Nepal for the way they have qualified.
“Now they just have to improve their structure, the first-class and domestic set- up, then they can start to compete with the top teams.”
Many in Pakistan are still stung by the fact they have had to cede most of the matches in a tournament they have hosting rights for.
The Indian government ruled their team would not tour Pakistan, leading to the tournament becoming a hybrid of matches in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Wasim thinks it is positive that Pakistan did not follow suit and opt against touring India for the World Cup.
“India-Pakistan is very important,” Wasim said. “There are so many eyeballs, so many people giving so much support.
“Pakistan’s government have given permission for Pakistan to travel to India.
“I always maintain that politics and sport should be apart from each other. People to people contact is very important and the average Indian and Pakistani does love and respect each other, so I hope sanity prevails.”
The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families
Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too
Emirates Cricket Board Women’s T10
ECB Hawks v ECB Falcons
Monday, April 6, 7.30pm, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
The match will be broadcast live on the My Sports Eye Facebook page
Hawks
Coach: Chaitrali Kalgutkar
Squad: Chaya Mughal (captain), Archara Supriya, Chamani Senevirathne, Chathurika Anand, Geethika Jyothis, Indhuja Nandakumar, Kashish Loungani, Khushi Sharma, Khushi Tanwar, Rinitha Rajith, Siddhi Pagarani, Siya Gokhale, Subha Srinivasan, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish
Falcons
Coach: Najeeb Amar
Squad: Kavisha Kumari (captain), Almaseera Jahangir, Annika Shivpuri, Archisha Mukherjee, Judit Cleetus, Ishani Senavirathne, Lavanya Keny, Mahika Gaur, Malavika Unnithan, Rishitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Shashini Kaluarachchi, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Vaishnave Mahesh
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Results:
Men’s wheelchair 200m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 27.14; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 27.81; 3. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 27.81.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
