Andrew Leonard is not a new name for those who love Nepali cricket. He has been associated with Nepali cricket in one way or another as a commentator for a long time. He has been involved in the expansion and promotion of cricket in associate countries like Nepal. He has visited Nepal at least 30 times.

Andrew from Ireland  This time he joined the Nepal Premier League as a commentator and this has increased his popularity even more. He is even more popular among Nepali cricket fans who started appearing in Dhaka cap and daura surual. Edited excerpt of a conversation with Andrew by Himesh , sports journalist for Ikantipur:   Everyone is talking about you, you are one of the hottest faces right now, what do you say ?

I hope everyone hasn't talked about me, it would be scary if that happened. How do I  Not coming to react . I'm Irish, travel the world, comment on cricket . I feel lucky . Coming to Nepal and doing this work, I am feeling overwhelmed. But I feel more grateful for the kindness shown by everyone.

We heard that you can also speak Nepali?

is, I know a little . Hello, how are you? Very well, very well .

Can you speak clearly in the next few years?

My English is not that good. I will try . I enjoy it . Hearing me speak in Nepali, the reaction of Nepali people is very beautiful . I need to learn more .

You said earlier, Nepal is your second home, what do you say now?

Nepal is my second home. Apart from Nepal, I can't think of any other place where I feel like home. Also Kathmandu where I have spent a lot of time . I have probably been to Nepal more than 30 times. I have been to you twice. Tourist area Pokhara, Far East and West did not go. Been here many times . I feel comfortable here . Don't know why . But this city has a loving spirit. The kindness shown by the people is beautiful. I like the food here .

What is your favorite food in Nepal?

My favorite Nepali food is chicken kothe ​​masham. But there are many food options in Kathmandu, Nepal. Chicken Cuttirolls are available in all lanes . Dalbhat is so popular, how many have tasted Newari food. I have eaten Thakali food set . How many pizzerias are there, sweet sushi is also available in Kathmandu, which is not expected by anyone. The food served in the hotels is also very sweet . But my absolute favorite is the food from the small roadside cafes .

One thing I like about this trip is to show Nepal to two or three people, they didn't know what Nepal is like. I used to go to a restaurant, when I entered I would think where did I get it, it is not good. Because in Nepal, when you enter from any street, there are small courtyards and beautiful old buildings. The food made there tastes very sweet. How is the

and atmosphere? The atmosphere of Kathmandu will be good for you! It would have been a

, but if there was no game in the cold at nine o'clock in the morning . It was a bit difficult in the morning, during the tournament. But one day in the morning, the mountain was clearly visible. The coldness of that mountain could be felt here. There are two heroes of Nepal, who became Nepal Premier League, we should talk about that. But two other heroes are the ground staff, which should not go without talking about . They cleaned the dew in the cold . They have a big role to play in making the Games a success . Similarly, the fans are another hero, who came to the match at eight-thirty in the morning.

Everyone is talking about NPL . Will it be even bigger next year?

There's no doubt that it's going to be big . It gets bigger and better . Rather than thinking about the future, we should also talk about how successful it has been. I was excited for the tournament . But false things are being spread about Nepal's cricket. This is the first time the Cricket Association of Nepal has started its own T20 tournament. Everything they did was great . From making eight franchise teams from East to West to playing, it worked very well . From the branding to the colors, the use of symbols are all excellent .

It was felt that the buzz that NPL got on social media was real . At the beginning, I thought that there was a buzz like likes and comments on social media, but it was. When it was done very successfully . The success of ICCs is measured in three ways. One is the number of people in the seats, the other is digital activation, such as television or other devices, and the discussion on social media.

is also measured in commercial terms . NPL excelled in all these three parameters . Nepalis should be proud. Not only cricket, it has spread positive things about Nepal as a whole. I think, Nepal is in such a time, where it is time to realize its potential and potential. Many people have left the country . Therefore, looking at NPL, people of Nepal are very capable . It can elevate the country .

You met the Prime Minister of Nepal, what did you talk about?

I use two words a lot when describing my experiences in Nepal - 'overwhelming' and 'surreal'. I was dressed in golf clothes on Friday to play golf with Jimmy Neesum, Scott Coogle and Young Joshua Trump. But a message came from Paras Khadka - saying that the Prime Minister has called. In the beginning, I also asked if I should go.

Paras Dai and I reached at three o'clock . It is surprising in Nepal - one thing no one tells about what is happening . I had no idea what was going to happen. We waited in a beautiful hall of the Prime Minister's office. He celebrated us, which in itself was beautiful and emotional for me.

I am not a political person . The Prime Minister called, showed cordiality . He has also given me a beautiful letter. Beautifully written. Signed and written in both Nepali and English. This is what I collect all my life . We have cricket and  We talked about the power of sports. We talked about the success of the league .  

Are you going home?

Yes I'm going home . I arrive the day before Christmas .

shopped ? No

 . You will have to go to Thamel with a bike, you will have to buy some pashmina items. I will buy Nepali goods.

You are an emotional person . What were the three most emotional moments of your 30 tour?

My three emotional moments are all connected with the national team. Century of an efficient mall. I always sit down and do commentary . But I woke up at that time . He had a century in 61 balls. I got emotional seeing such a good performance by some young man .

In May 2023, Nepal's Asia Cup Qualifier, it rained as the first innings ended. There were about 25 thousand people. Everyone started waiting with umbrellas. The game was unlikely to happen again . I walked the grounds, what the people said with such sincerity, it was emotional . Thirdly, that game in March 2023 is very emotional. That video has been viewed 40 million times . That win celebration gives me even more goosebumps . People still ask me about that video .