Kathmandu, October 20
Dashain is a festival of joy, celebration and family gatherings for Nepalis. For the country’s athletes, however, the festive season is also a busy period, with competitions continuing across several sports.
From the national cricket team and international para-sports to esports, motorsport, handball and tennis, Nepali athletes are representing the country at various international events even as the country celebrates its biggest festival.
Meanwhile, excitement is building around the third edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL), which is set to begin next week.
Nepal beat Oman to boost ODI status hopes
Nepal have finished their ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 campaign with a crucial 10-run victory over Oman, securing sixth place in the standings and strengthening their hopes of retaining One Day International (ODI) status.
Batting first after winning the toss at Al Amerat Ground Turf 1 on Monday, Nepal posted 280 runs in 50 overs. Rohit Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee and Dev Khanal scored half-centuries to help Nepal recover from an early collapse.
Paudel top-scored with 80 off 81 balls, while Airee contributed 69 off 62 deliveries and Khanal made 57 off 65 balls. Paudel and Airee shared a 139-run partnership to rebuild the innings.
In reply, Oman managed 270 for six in their allotted 50 overs. Jatinder Singh scored 89 and Hammad Mirza made 87, combining for a 158-run partnership for the second wicket. However, Nepal’s bowlers returned strongly to put pressure on the hosts during the closing stages.
Oman needed 23 runs from the final over, but Airee held his nerve to restrict the hosts and seal the victory.
The result lifted Nepal to sixth place with 30 points from 36 matches, ahead of Canada, who had briefly pushed Nepal down to seventh after their previous victory over the team. Finishing among the top six is significant for Nepal’s bid to retain ODI status.
NPL excitement builds ahead of October 26 start
With Nepal’s international campaign concluded, attention is now turning to the third edition of the Nepal Premier League, which will run from October 26 to November 21 at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.
The Cricket Association of Nepal has received International Cricket Council sanction for this year’s tournament. Under the competition’s rules, franchises can register up to eight overseas players, while every playing XI must include at least seven Nepali players. All foreign players are also required to obtain a no-objection certificate from their respective cricket boards.
Preparations for the possible introduction of the Decision Review System (DRS) are in their final stages, potentially adding another feature to the tournament.
Franchises are continuing to strengthen their squads with international signings. Biratnagar Kings have signed West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell, while Pokhara Avengers have brought in Sri Lankan all-rounder Chamika Karunaratne.
The NPL will continue through the Tihar period, keeping domestic cricket in the spotlight during the festive season. With international players joining Nepali stars, anticipation is growing among cricket fans ahead of the opening match.
19 Nepali athletes compete at Asian Para Games
The fifth Asian Para Games are underway in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with 19 Nepali athletes competing across eight sports. The event runs from October 18 to 24.
Nepal’s athletes are competing in taekwondo, athletics, badminton, table tennis, powerlifting, swimming, judo and wheelchair tennis.
The taekwondo team comprises Palesha Goverdhan and Renu Tamang. In athletics, Prabha Angdembe, Srishti Dhewaju, Mohan Roka, Himal Aryal and Raju Gurung are representing Nepal.
Prakash Adhikari is competing in badminton, while Keshav Thapa, Digam Singh Chemjong, Nirmala Bhandari, Swikriti Neupane and Bibek Rai are taking part in table tennis.
Rajani Rai and Pawan Gharti Magar are competing in powerlifting, while Jenisha Kadayat and Harkaman Gharti represent Nepal in swimming. Sankalpa Acharya is competing in judo, and Ram Bahadur Tamang is taking part in wheelchair tennis.
The coaching staff includes Kabiraj Negi Lama in taekwondo, Olympian Bimala Rana Magar in athletics, Chhabilal Shahi in badminton, Basanta Bharti in table tennis, Kablin Maharjan in powerlifting, Shubha Shrestha in swimming, Yogendra Bista in judo and Suryabhushan Bajracharya in wheelchair tennis.
Nepali esports teams prepare for PMGO
Two Nepali teams, Horaa Esports and Trend to Kill (T2K), are set to compete in the second edition of the PUBG Mobile Global Open (PMGO) in Pakistan.
Both teams qualified through the PMGO South Asia Fall competition held in Nepal. The tournament is scheduled to run from October 20 to 25.
The teams will look to strengthen Nepal’s presence in international esports as they compete against teams from other countries.
Nepal competes in Asian Auto Gymkhana Championship
Nepali drivers Rehan Sunar and Bipashna Tamang competed in the third round of the Asian Auto Gymkhana Championship in Hong Kong. The two-day event featured participants from 12 countries, with Ashish Rauniyar accompanying the Nepali team as manager.
The team is scheduled to travel from Hong Kong to Thailand to participate in the Asia-Pacific Motorsport Championship, where the same drivers will compete in auto gymkhana.
Meanwhile, Kiban Thakuri and Jai Pratap Maskey are scheduled to travel to Thailand on Dashain’s Tika day to compete in the autocross category, according to Govinda Bhattarai, executive director of NASA Nepal.
Nepali women’s handball team in Bangladesh
Nepal’s women’s handball team is in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to participate in the IHF Women’s Nations Trophy Zone 2 competition organised by the International Handball Federation (IHF).
The tournament runs from October 18 to 22 and features teams from Nepal, Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Yemen and Afghanistan.
The Nepali squad includes captain Bandana Rai, Uma Rai, Devkumari Baskota, Bimala Tamang, Durga Bohara, Hilina Rana, Kalpana Oli, Komali Khadka, Samina Chaudhary, Samjhana Kumal, Sangita Chaudhary, Sanju Rai, Shantīkala Rai and Mamata Rana. Sushil Adhikari is the team’s coach.
The competition offers the players an opportunity to gain international experience and improve their performance against regional opponents.
Four Nepali players to compete in Vietnam
Nepal will field four players in the Billie Jean King Cup in Phan Thiet, Vietnam, from October 21 to 24.
Swastika Bista, Sirjana Thapa, Prajna Manandhar and Prakriti Shrestha will represent Nepal in the competition, with Santosh Khatri serving as coach.
Sports remain a priority during the festive season
The packed international schedule highlights the continuity of Nepali sporting activities during Dashain. While families gather to celebrate the festival, athletes are balancing festive commitments with their sporting careers and responsibilities as national representatives.
Nepal’s victory over Oman has provided a timely boost to its cricket campaign, while the upcoming NPL promises another major sporting attraction at home. At the same time, Nepali athletes are competing internationally in para-sports, esports, motorsport, handball and tennis.
As Dashain brings celebration and togetherness across the country, these athletes remain focused on competition, performance and achieving success for Nepal.
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