5 reasons for Downfall of Nepali Cricket in WT20 Qualifier 2015
It may be easy to state and difficult to swallow. A team that always shows promise, has promising youngsters, a leader, foreign coach and still it is in the losing side. Although hope was devastated, people in agony and pain,they had expectation from the team and players which could easily act as a pain relief for millions of affected from recent tragedy of earthquake. Here are some points that will make your eyelids wide open and the respective departments that lacked the useful ingredients.
Batting
Nepali batting has been in the poorest form in this competition than ever before. Opening slot is all vacant and it seems like there is no any way in this team to fulfill this vacant slot. Since the practice matches we have seen almost everyone in the top of the order pairing sometimes with Subash Khakurel in the initial half of the tournament, Gyanendra Malla in the middle, Sagar pun on the other end and now himself being paired with Airee.
The combination at the opening slot was a major problem before the tournament and still is incurable, however in the game against PNG some signs of positivity were shown by Airee and Sagar Pun. The problem doesn’t end up here for Nepal.
These stats would clearly define the main problem of team performing its worst ever batting performance.
Nepal has scored 277 runs in 4 matches they have played. The most important part is the amount of dot balls they have faced, it is 235 dot balls. When we take this in an average of per game it happens to be 36.25 dot balls per game.
So every game is a 14 overs game for our batsman. This resulted into just 27 fours, 5 sixes in 4 matches. Only 7 fours per match in a huge T20 competition like this.
The next serious problem is fall of wickets. Once Nepal’s opening pair return soon in the pavilion, no 3, 4 and 5 follows them quickly in the dugout. These slots are occupied by three of the most experienced and responsible batsmen of Nepal namely Paras Khadka, Gyanedra Malla and Sharad Vaeswakar.
Altogether they have scored 139 runs which is less than half of what the whole team have scored with Paras Khadka among the least scorer scoring just 32 runs in last 4 games.
Bowling
When a team cannot post a respectable total it is just adding too much pressure in its bowling department. Although low totals have been defended in the past, bowling is the strength of Nepalese team which is encountering some disciplinary problems.
Nepal has conceded 385 runs in 4 matches against the 277 they have scored with the bat. The amount of dot ball they have given is 148. Basically it means that they have given 385 runs in 220 balls. The extra runs they have produced in 4 matches are 40 runs which are 14% of their runs scored with the bat.
Similarly their batting failure has directly affected the bowlers just taking 19 wickets in 4 matches with Basanta Regmi taking 8 wickets which is nearly half of the wicket that whole team has taken. Too much experiment is done also in the seam department with Jitendra Mukhiya and Karan KC in an in-out role.
Fielding
Not a lot to be analyzed but still the fielding department is not the same as expected from Nepalese team. They lack athleticism and intent in the field.
With fewer amounts of run outs, few catch outs, it proves the lack of their consistency in the athletic department of cricket. Only 4 run outs could be enlisted in Nepal’s stat.
Pradeed Airee, Sagar pun and Sompal Kami only seemed to be in this department currently. Wicket keeper Bhandari don’t have any cheer up for the guys in the field. With less score on board to defend, nothing great could be expected.Still intent matters for pride.
Captain
Every time Nepal loss the toss, Paras Khadka has been a defensive captain. He just has plan A and if it doesn’t work the mindset is so defensive that he cannot switch into plan B on instant. The role of players are not specified and the team has a theory of Parascentric which hovers around Paras Khadka . If he bats well he usually bowls in the middle but if he is out of form with his batting he opts beginning of the bowling before his spearheads in the bowling department. This proves his lack of faith in his own attack.
Batsmen rotation policy of Paras is falling apart in this tournament with Pradeep Airee finally in the opening slot after batting in 4, 5, 7 respectively.
Binod Bhandari is not being replaced by Siddhant Lohani who is scratching and itching to play for the national team in the biggest stage like this. This is the place where experiment is needed.
Basanta Regmi is not being used in front no matter how he performs in the previous matches. As for instance he came with the ball in 7th over and still took 4 wickets but was replaced constantly in the middle by bowlers like Shakti and Sompal. Similarly, same was done against PNG when the team needed early wickets he was brought in 8th over when almost everything was out and about for Nepal. He took the needed wicket but was replaced by Gauchan in the next over.
Sompal Kami is not being maneuver properly not in bowling or batting.
Wide open field placing and sloppy work in the field with wrong people at the right place of the field. Fielders not putting an effort to their throwing arms in the field and captain having no serious words to the bowlers as well as no strong statements to the fielders. While all other captains buzz around and have words of encouragement Captain Khadka has his own theory of Uncertainty.
Coach and Management
Coach Pubundu Dasanaike lives in the theory of Coach is a result of players performance, rather he is a cause for players appearance in the field.
The old batting problems are still the same in Nepalese team. He is not just in the game with his own batting order jumbling around him.
The lack of basics of batting with the strike rotation, instead of leaving ball alone and encountering dot balls is not seen in any game.
Defending even the bad ball shows lack of improvement skills in his coaching tenure. Players are not buzzing, encouraging or putting an effort to win even defending defendable total. They say in cricket team doesn’t give up till the last moment.
Bowlers and fielders don’t have communication in the field. This show a clear picture of the dressing room environment not being encouraging.
The lack of field placements and effort is also a lack of coaching and management effort that make the boys realize that the country at present is watching even in agony, trauma and in negative situation.
It’s not just about criticism, these 5 points states the ground reality of Nepalese team that would improve if we accept it quickly. Paras, Pubundu and Co. has to get out of this negativity and come into the winning habit as soon as they could. Otherwise, be ready to face the reality and bring some eventful changes in the history of Nepalese Cricket Team.In short lack of aggressiveness in captain resulting in most of the defensive T20 matches in the entire tournament.
The stastistical analysis has powered the article very much. Well written Mr. Amit.