The last time she went to Malaysia, a local player asked Indu Burma, "Do people recognize you when you go out?" "Oh, we wear masks when we go out," Indu, the captain of the women's cricket team, replied.

There is immense love among the fans for the cricket players who are always in the news in Nepal. This also makes foreign players sad. Nepali cricket has so far remained in sentiment. Women's cricket is moving forward, happy with the continuous progress made by men's cricket. Indu did not just say that, 'It is true that the women's team has also gained attention because of the men's team.'

Even small things make you happy. Big dreams remain dreams. Sometimes you seem dissatisfied with the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN). Sometimes, when you see the fitness of the players, the fans become disappointed. Everyone keeps saying that this competition will definitely show different results. But new opportunities, new disappointments. This has been the destiny of the Nepali women's cricket team for the last one and a half decades. 

In fact, women's cricket could not win a trophy in any ICC or ACC competition for one and a half decades. After reaching the final of the ACC Cup in 2007, the Nepali team reached the final of the Women's Cricket World Cup Asia qualifiers only last year. Let alone the trophy, it took 15 years to reach the final.

‘We thought that the women’s cricket team would play the World Cup before the men’s. That was our belief,’ said CAN Secretary Paras Khadka after unveiling the women’s cricket team jersey in Kathmandu last Tuesday. While the men’s team is currently playing its third World Cup, the women’s team has reached the global qualifiers for the first time. Now, CAN has also started strategic development of the women’s team by making a long-term plan, says Secretary Khadka.

History of women’s cricket in World Cup qualifiers

No qualifiers were held in the first three editions of the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup. The fourth edition of the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup was held in Bangladesh in 2014. Only after the fourth edition of the World Cup did the ICC automatically organize some qualifiers along with the qualifiers. From the Asian region, it seems that the ACC Championship was kept as a qualifier. Because its winner, Thailand, participated in the global qualifiers. On the other hand, Nepal was defeated by Thailand in the semi-finals and was eliminated.

Although the 2016 World Cup qualifiers were held in 2015, Nepal did not participate. The Asian qualifiers for the Women’s T20 World Cup were held only since 2017. Then Nepal  exited in the semi-finals in 2017. In 2019 and 2021, they were eliminated without even passing the league stage. 

‘When different coaches had to play with different strategies, sometimes things would not work out, sometimes things would go wrong. The concept of having a foundation in cricket started in 2019. But we had a problem reaching the semi-finals in the World Cup qualifiers, and we felt embarrassed at the airport when we returned.’

After one selection, Indu also felt that he would no longer play cricket. There is no future in it. He was very upset. After that, the team reached the semi-finals in the Asia Qualifiers held in 2023. But they were eliminated from there. Such a wait ended in 2025. Where Nepal reached the final of any competition for the first time since 2007. In the semi-finals of the Asia Qualifiers held in Thailand in May last year, Nepal defeated the UAE by 5 wickets to make it to the final. Nepal reached the Women's T-20 World Cup Global Qualifier for the first time by reaching the final of that tournament. Even though it was held in Kathmandu last week, Nepal could not qualify for the World Cup.

'We were all teary-eyed. Emotionally We were broken. It was a way to get some satisfaction that we came close to winning against a strong team. But it was not easy to remember the two-year wait again,' Indu recalled the moment after the defeat to Scotland.

Hope-Disappointment

During the qualifying tournament, Indu expressed her belief that when the ICC organized the Global Qualifier in Nepal for the first time, this qualification would be a turning point for Nepali cricket. 'The team is ready to make good use of the opportunity after 18 years, it will help set a platform for the next generation,' she said. The first step to qualify for the World Cup was to reach the Super Six. 'The team's atmosphere was very different even with the victory against Zimbabwe. "We only knew what it would be like to win after defeating Zimbabwe," says Indu. "If we had reached the Super Six, the story would have been different."

Due to injury, Indu will stay at home to watch the men's Twenty20 World Cup. The women's team is going to Thailand for the Asia Cup Rising Stars, and it is her responsibility to watch that match. "It will help the future if Pooja Mahato gets the opportunity to lead the team against teams like India and Pakistan," says Indu. "Pooja is a player who has learned cricket in India. She will use that experience here."

New player's enthusiasm

Many young players have come in now. Competition has increased with the production of players who have received exposure in their age groups. Now, the captain and coach are a little more comfortable as they do not have to teach the players who have come to the national team the basics. 

Young players are smart. They are emerging as experts in 'pre-match visualization'. They quickly remember the 'tactics' given by the coach. While Indu was talking about the new players, Pooja, who was sitting nearby, was smiling. In Indu's absence, Pooja has been given the responsibility of captaining the Nepali team. Under her leadership, the U-19 team has already played in the World Cup and defeated Pakistan in the Asia Cup. 

Now, while the men's team is playing the World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in India, Nepal will be playing against India, Pakistan, and the UAE in the Asia Cup Rising Stars under Pooja's leadership. 'Everyone dreams of playing in the World Cup. The men's team has succeeded in that. We have to give time to watch that game. Even if it is our own game, we will support the men's team,' Pooja said about the World Cup.

She feels that if the men's team can do it, why can't the women's team? After all, everyone's goal is to make Nepal a Test nation. If both teams play in the World Cup, Nepal will soon reach a higher level. 'The main thing is that we can win. Development is happening, now we have to take it on a continuous path. We defeated Zimbabwe in the World Cup qualifiers. "I think the team will start giving results in three months after coach Harshal Pathak comes," Pooja has estimated the future of her team, being a little ambitious and a little realistic. Results alone are not everything. You also have to be able to show a good game, coach Harshal has focused on the players' mentality and the players' behavior on the field.

"The change in temperament that has occurred in the last two months is a big thing. If we are thinking positively about this facility as well, the path to a result is now clear," Indu said in a hopeful voice, "Now we will work on fielding as well. We are moving forward with the idea of ​​becoming the best bowling team in the associate countries in six months." The biggest strength of the women's team now is their belief in themselves and each other. Indu is now teaching everyone to believe in their own abilities.  

From today, cricket fans will immerse themselves in the excitement of the ICC Men's Twenty20 World Cup. Many Nepali cricket fans have reached Mumbai, India, to support and accompany their team. The constant news coming from there about the Nepali team, the field where Nepal is playing, and the situation of the opposing team has given new energy to the supporters. But on the other hand, the Nepali women's team has not healed the wound of regret for not being selected for the ICC Women's T-20 World Cup held at home.