Pawan Agarwal has been continuously associated with Nepali cricket in one capacity or another. Initially, he was a player of that generation who had a dream of playing for Nepal, and luck also supported him.

He is a first-generation player to play international cricket representing Nepal. He later became the captain. He was a member of the Nepali team when Nepal went to Canada for the first time in 2001 to play in the ODI World Cup qualifiers. He also joined the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN). He is also one of the drafters of the current CAN statute. In a way, Agarwal is such a personality in Nepali cricket, whose relationship was with the generation that laid the foundation of modern cricket in Nepal, and with the current new generation as well. Even now, he is closely following Nepali cricket and is well-versed in it. Binod Pandey and Himesh had a conversation with Agarwal for Kantipur about the latest situation of Nepali cricket:

You have also played for the Nepali national team, and even became the captain. Nepal has recently been selected for the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup. Nepal is playing the World Cup for the third time. How do you view this journey?

This journey is really very tempting in itself. What we need to understand here is that the amount of investment you make in any field, you will get the same return. The preparation is there, the work that has been done for development is of great significance. Perhaps if we had done more of these things, this journey would have been just right. We have invested a little, worked a little, but still achieved great success.

In that sense, Nepal playing three World Cups is truly a great success. I am not saying it is a miracle, but if we are to be realistic and tell the truth, this is what has happened. We still do not have the physical infrastructure. But we are already on the path to building large cricket stadiums. We may need a large stadium, but we need well-equipped grounds before that.

We will have to see how much we can afford for a large stadium. We should also be able to understand the resources of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN). If there is a large stadium with floodlights, we should calculate how much it costs per month to run it. We have not yet been able to pay attention to the great importance of small stadiums. We really need such a ground.

The current national team has 3-4 players from Madhesh. But how many fields are there in Madhesh where cricket can be played? How many 'turf wickets' are there? It is said that there is not a single real 'turf wicket'. Some have been built in Birgunj. Since Kalaiya also has a multi-purpose stadium, not much work has been done. There is not much anywhere else either. I think that Biratnagar also does not have many facilities.

What we need now is a cricket field, where there are proper toilets and dressing rooms. And fencing and net practice facilities. Apart from that, we need one or two big stadiums in big cities. Kathmandu is already there, Pokhara could be another option. I think that while Nepali cricket is achieving success, our biggest problem is the lack of well-equipped fields.

There is a big problem of infrastructure. Competitions cannot be held only in Kathmandu. Domestic infrastructure should be everywhere. Therefore, we should be able to honestly analyze the journey that Nepali cricket has taken so far. We should think about how much investment we have made, how much effort we have made. Where we are now, more work needs to be done to take Nepali cricket further forward. For us, there must be an education about how Kenyan cricket was going downhill.

If that is the case, what should Nepali cricket do in the future? Otherwise, Nepali cricket will not be able to develop further in the current situation?

For the development of cricket in any country, development should be done in 2-3 areas and this is almost mandatory. First of all, physical infrastructure. The general public thinks of one thing as a cricket fan, but those involved in cricket development should think in a different way. If you ask the general cricket lover now, almost everyone will answer, we need a big stadium. If you ask us, we will say, we really need a field.

I will not even emphasize floodlights right now. Then comes the format of cricket. That is the format of domestic cricket. International cricket is connected to that. For us, we need a strong foundation of age-group cricket, it should be U-16, U-19. It can also be U-23. Along with the main team, there is also an A team. We must go to these five levels of cricket. How you keep a player busy throughout the year is important.

What we need to understand is that a player's playing life is short, not very long. If someone plays cricket for 14/15 years, the same player matures by the age of 29/30. When they reach the age of 31/32, they have to quit cricket. Since we do not have professional cricket, they quit cricket at a younger age due to family pressure. That is why we need a strong domestic structure more than a Test-playing country.

Now that Nepali cricket has reached a certain level, don't we need big stadiums? It cannot be said that it is not important?

That is also very necessary, it cannot be denied. The main thing is the principle of necessity. We really need to understand what our main priority is. For now, our aim should be to develop the game of cricket. The need for big stadiums is for big international tournaments. But if we do not have a team for that, what is the point? Otherwise, who will come and play? If our own team is not strong, then an outside team will not come and play it.

We have done everything we can, but we don't even have the resources for such work. We have to prioritize the resources we have. We should invest in whatever is necessary for us, which will also be useful for us in the future. If our cricket is good, money will start coming in.

In the next 1-2 years, Nepal is organizing some big international tournaments. These include the Women's World Cup qualifiers and two series of League-2. There is also the Women's U-19 World Cup. Do we need to prepare for that too?

I don't disagree that big stadiums are also needed. Oman has now organized the Twenty20 World Cup qualifiers, Asia and East Asia Pacific. But where did Oman have big stadiums? Our good side is that we have spectators. A large number of spectators come to the field to watch cricket. In fact, we are not looking for a big stadium for the same reason.

Even if we go to Ireland and Europe, where are the big stadiums? The fields there are good. If possible, we should also build big stadiums. Now, cricket in Nepal is really needed for its development, I repeat this. First of all, the players need a place to play cricket.

Currently, the ICC cricket format is more focused on ODIs. It also provides budget accordingly. Where we are in ODIs, the program is made accordingly. Currently, Nepali cricket is more focused on Twenty-20 cricket. Maybe that also needs improvement?

Now, our cricket has become Twenty-20 cricket. Our thinking is Twenty-20 cricket. Now we are also getting success in this. We are also playing the World Cup for this. This is also the cricket that the general audience likes. But if we really want to develop cricket, we have no other option than to go for long-format cricket. This is a proven fact in world cricket.

Both Tests and ODIs are equally popular now. At one time, it was said that ODIs are dying, but now it is starting to be equally exciting. The ODI World Cup is equally popular. Nepali cricket is not limited to Twenty20 cricket, if our aim is Test cricket, we are not happy without playing long-form cricket.

The Nepal Premier League (NPL) has started since last year. Before that, we had various franchise cricket. Have such competitions changed the performance of our national team? Have they helped us qualify for the Twenty20 World Cup for the third time in a row?

Absolutely. Competitions like the NPL have helped. The biggest contribution of such competitions is that it has brought some professionalism to Nepali cricket. Players are getting money for playing. Teams are ready to pay the players according to their qualifications. This is what professionalism is all about. It also means that you should be good at your job.

Professionalism also brings responsibility, forcing you to work harder. Players are ready to play cricket because of the NPL. Players prepare for this all year round. First, the association should have worked hard to prepare players. Now the players themselves work hard, and that too by investing in themselves.

Now some players are going to India just for training, that too at their own expense. NPL has introduced a lot of things to Nepali cricket. Such competitions teach players to play under pressure. That is why NPL has many advantages. Now we have qualified for the Twenty-20 World Cup through competitions like NPL.

We have started two-day matches since last year. There are some one-day competitions. Apart from that, the structure of our own domestic competition is not that good, it has not changed that much, right? There are still many problems, right?

There are many weaknesses in our domestic cricket structure, this must be accepted. Now we have a Prime Minister's Cup. And now a two-day competition. That too was only at a small level, only for four teams. Now we have to start a strong structure from U-16. The main thing is that long-term cricket is needed. Even in India, U-16 cricket is two-day, Twenty-20 cricket is not played in this age group. U-19 cricket is a four-day game. There is also less effort to do something for domestic cricket. Now everyone is happy with the success achieved in Twenty20 cricket. This is why we are failing.

It was once said that the Nepali women's team will play the World Cup for the first time, rather than the men's team. But now the women's team is struggling, based on the results too. Are we failing in women's cricket?

The truth is that Nepali women's cricket has few resources. What is the structure of our women's cricket? What are the women's players playing in domestic cricket? Nothing. At least there is NPL for men's players. Our women's team had some success in the beginning and because of this, the situation of other teams was also similar. That is why we may have seemed successful for a while. But other countries have also developed a lot in women's cricket. Now the Women's World Cup is going on. I am enjoying watching this tournament for the first time.

Now the level of the women's team has also reached a lot. Now the performance of the Australian and Indian teams has reached a different level. Earlier, women's cricket seemed to be a pale color, now where has it gone? Now our priority is men's cricket. Now we should be able to invest money in women's cricket as well. We should also let women players play as many international games as possible. As long as we don't have a domestic format in women's cricket, how will we get results? How will players become players if we don't get to play? Moreover, we are short of female players. The most important thing is to create an environment for playing.

Bangladesh and Afghanistan have already received Test recognition, where are we going?

Even when Bangladesh was an associate country, the level of cricket there was much higher than ours. Later, after receiving Test recognition, we heard that a football stadium in Bangladesh was damaged and converted into a cricket ground. The physical infrastructure in Bangladesh has also improved. Afghanistan is definitely a 'surprise package'. Due to the war, the situation in Afghanistan itself is not good. But Afghan cricket has come up with some solutions. The domestic format in Afghanistan is also not good, but players are coming. Pakistan is helping in this.

हाम्रो समस्या फेरि दोहोर्‍याएर भन्ने हो भने हाम्रो घरेलु ढाँचा जहाँको त्यहीँ भयो । हाम्रा छिमेकी जति सबै क्रिकेटमा बलिया देश हुन् । सायद हामीले त्यसको पनि फाइदा लिन सकेनौं । अझ हामीले विशेषतः भारतबाट कम फाइदा लिएको मान्छु । भारत भौगोलिक रूपमा पनि हाम्रो एकदमै नजिक छ । भारतीय क्रिकेट बोर्ड बीसीसीआई पनि चाहिँदैन, त्यहाँको स्टेट क्रिकेट बोर्ड पनि निकै बलियो छ । त्यस्तै बोर्डबाट पनि हामीले फाइदा लिन सक्नुपर्छ । श्रीलंकाले पनि हामीलाई सुरुदेखि नै मद्दत गरेकै हो । पाकिस्तान र बंगलादेश दुवै सहयोगी छन् । हामीले यो क्षेत्रमा पनि चाहिने जति काम गर्न सकेका छैनौं । पछिल्लो समय बीसीआईसँगको सम्बन्ध केही राम्रो भएको देखिन्छ । भर्खर हाम्रो ए टिम भारत गएको थियो । महिला टिम मात्र होइन, यू–१६ र यू–१९ टिमलाई पनि भारत पठायौं । त्यहाँका स्टेट टिमविरुद्ध नै खेलाए पुग्छ ।

अहिले क्यानले आफूलाई आर्थिक रूपमा कसरी अगाडि बढाइरहेको जस्तो लाग्छ ?

मैले जति सुनेको छु, क्यानको आर्थिक अवस्था कडिकडाउ नै छ । एनपीएलको नाफा नै डेढ करोड रुपैयाँ देखिएको छ । एनपीएलले धेरै फाइदा गर्छ र यसले नेपाली क्रिकेटलाई नै ठूलो आर्थिक टेवा हुन्छ भनिएको थियो, कम्तीमा पहिलो संस्करणदेखि त्यो देखिएन । अबका संस्करण अझ फराकिलो हुँदै गयो भने यसले निश्चित रूपमा नेपाली क्रिकेटलाई फाइदा गर्छ । क्यानले आफ्नो आम्दानीको बाटो बढाउनुपर्छ ।

खर्च गरेपछि त क्रिकेटको विकास हुने हो । एनपीएल आफैंमा ठूलो स्रोत हुन सक्छ । टिमले राम्रै गर्दै गयो भने पनि आम्दानीको बाटो खुल्दै जाने हो । हामीलाई बाहिरबाट पनि प्रायोजक आउन सक्छ । भारतीय उत्पादन हाम्रो देशमा पनि आउँछ । त्यहाँका कम्पनी पनि नेपाली क्रिकेटमा आउन सक्छन् । यसका लागि नेपाली क्रिकटले कडा र विशेष मिहिनेत नै गर्नुपर्ने हुन्छ ।

कुनै समय टुँडिखेलमा हुने खेलले नेपाली क्रिकेटलाई जीवन्त राखेको थियो । तपाईंले पनि टुँडिखेलमा क्रिकेट खेल्नुभयो । तपाईंसँग यससँग जोडिएका सम्झना कस्ता छन् ?

मसँग टुँडिखेलमा क्रिकेट खेलको सम्झना अझै पनि छ र त्यो सुखद छ । यसलाई नेपाली क्रिकेटको सुरुआती वर्ष मान्न सकिन्छ, एक प्रकारले । हामी त कलैयाबाट आएको । काठमाडौंमा खेल्ने हामीमा लोभ हुन्थ्यो । टुँडिखेलमा केकेएम प्रतियोगिता हुन्थ्यो, पछि उपेन्द्र भट्टराई दाइले पनि प्रतियोगिता आयोजना गर्नुभयो । काठमाडौंमा जति प्रतियोगिता हुन्थ्यो, त्यो टुँडिखेलमै हुन्थ्यो । त्यहाँ मैले पनि धेरै खेलेको छु ।

अझ अहिले आर्मीले लिएको सानो टुँडिखेलमा पनि क्रिकेट हुन्थ्यो र मैले त्यहाँ पनि खेलेको छु । त्यो उद्योग वाणिज्य संघले आयोजना गरेको थियो । मैले त्यो प्रतियोगिता पनि खेलें । त्यति बेला भारतबाट राम्राराम्रा खेलाडी खेल्न आउँथे, रणजी ट्रफी खेलेकैहरू । हामीले खेल्न अगाडि साबा करिम पनि आएका थिए । टुँडिखेलमा खेल्नुको मज्जा नै ठूलो थियो । नेपाली क्रिकेटको इतिहास लेख्ने हो भने एउटा अध्याय मज्जाले टुँडिखेलमा खेलिएको क्रिकेट पनि हुनेछ ।

त्यहाँको क्रिकेटबारे सम्भवतः मभन्दा पुराना खेलाडीले भन्नुहुन्छ होला । श्रीनिवास राणा दाइले बढी भन्न सक्नुहुन्छ होला । नूतन वज्राचार्य, नवीन सुवाल, सुवर्ण जोशी दाइहरू टुँडिखेलको क्रिकेटमा चलेका नाम थिए । अचेल उहाँहरू हराउनु भएको छ । विजय शर्मा दाइ फास्ट बलर हुनुहुन्थ्यो । विजय श्रेष्ठ र श्रीनिवास दाइ पनि फास्ट बलर नै हुनुहुन्थ्यो । सागर र अशोक प्याकुरेल दाजुभाइबारे पनि मैले त्यही बेला धेरै सुनेको थिएँ । मैले उहाँहरूसँग खेल्न पाइनँ । मैले खेलेको ०५१/०५२ सालतिर हो । मैले खेलिसकेपछि पनि केही खेलाडीले टुँडिखेलमा खेले । तर त्यो लगभग टुँडिखेलमा खेल्ने क्रिकेटको अन्त्य अन्त्यतिर थियो । हामी खेल्दै गर्दा कीर्तिपुर मैदान बन्दै थियो । त्यसपछि नेपाली क्रिकेट उतै लाग्यो । त्यसअगाडि नेपाली क्रिकेटको ‘लाइफ लाइन’ भनेकै टुँडिखेल थियो । तर अब त्यो इतिहास भएको छ र यसले नेपालमा क्रिकेटको जग बसाउन ठूलो भूमिका खेलेको थियो ।

तपाईं आफ्नो खेल जीवन कसरी सम्झिनुहुन्छ ? त्यति बेलाको अवस्था कस्तो थियो ?

मैले १६/१७ वर्षको उमेरदेखि खेल्न थालेको हो, कलैयामै । त्यति बेला पनि केही सिनियर दाइहरूले भन्थे– नेपाली राष्ट्रिय टिम बन्दै छ । तर कहिले पनि बनेन । अझ हामीलाई के लाग्न थालेको थियो भने नेपाली टिम कहिले पनि बन्ने छैन । तर हामीसँग सपना भने थियो, नेपाली टिमबाट खेल्ने । भाग्यले १९९६ मा नेपाली टिम बन्यो । जति बेलासम्म विमानमा बसेर उडेका थिएनौं, हामीलाई मलेसिया पुगेर खेलौंला भन्ने विश्वास नै थिएन । खासमा हामीले नेपाली टिम बन्छ भनेर धेरै गफ सुनेर त्यस्तो भएको हुनुपर्छ । हामीले थाहा पाउने गरेर हाम्रो अगाडि नेपाली टिम बंगलादेश र थाइल्यान्ड गएको थियो । काठमाडौं–११, क्यान–११ भनेर थियो । यसका लागि पूरा छनोट प्रक्रिया अपनाइएको थियो । यो सन् ८० तिरकै कुरा हुनुपर्छ । दिल्ली पनि एकपल्ट टिम गएको हुनुपर्छ ।

मैले किशोर उमेरमै क्रिकेट खेल्न थालेको थिएँ, तर म आफैं २३ वर्ष पुगेपछि मात्र नेपाली टिम साँच्चै बन्यो । यहींबाट नेपाली राष्ट्रिय क्रिकेट टिमको जग बस्यो भन्दा हुन्छ र यसका लागि यो समयका सबैप्रति हामी कृतज्ञ हुनुपर्छ । मैले धेरैपल्ट भनेको छु, सिनियर दाइहरूले क्रिकेट नखेलेको भए, मैले खेल्ने थिइनँ होला । क्रिकेट भनेकै अरूबाट प्रभावित हुने त हो । कलैयामा क्रिकेट खेल्दा पनि हामी कोहीबाट प्रभावित भएका थियौं । त्यहाँ सुरुआती दिनमा जेसिस कप भएको थियो । म त फुच्चे नै थिएँ, मलाई त्यसबारे अलिकलि सम्झना छ । सिनियर दाइहरूको खेल, दर्शकको उत्साह देखेपछि हाम्रो पुस्तालाई लागेको थियो, अब हामीले पनि क्रिकेट खेल्नुपर्छ । एउटा पुस्ताले कुनै न कुनै बेला सुरुआत गर्नु नै पर्छ । त्यसको फाइदा नयाँ पुस्ताले पाउने नै हो । त्यसलाई फेरि खराब मान्नुपर्ने पनि हुन्न । जतिले नेपालमा क्रिकेटको जग हाले, तिनको योगदानलाई भने हामीले बिर्सनु हुन्न ।