Nepal may be the weakest team in the ICC Women's Twenty20 World Cup qualifiers, which begin in Kathmandu in the second week of January. The reason for the weak appearance of the Nepali team is that it is competing in the Women's Twenty20 World Cup qualifiers for the first time and is ranked ninth among the 10 competing teams.

Newly appointed Nepali women's national cricket team coach Harshal Pathak is very positive. 'We have a good chance of qualifying for the Women's Twenty20 World Cup,' said coach Pathak at a press conference organized by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) on Tuesday.

Although Nepal had previously brought in a tournament-specific foreign coach as a consultant, Pathak is the first 'full-time' foreign coach of the Nepali women's team. The main thing is that he also has experience of leading the team in the World Cup before. Under the leadership of this Indian coach, Thailand played the 2020 Twenty20 World Cup, and in 2022, the Thai team reached the semifinals of the Asia Cup by defeating Pakistan.

'I wanted to be a part of Nepali cricket, because I was watching Nepali cricket closely even as a rival team. I have come here impressed by the passion of Nepali players for the game,' said coach Pathak. 'There are some reasons why Nepal will qualify for the World Cup. First, it is happening in Nepal and the Nepali team will get a lot of support when playing at home. Second, Nepal also has experience playing against opponents in this situation.'

Group 'A' of the 10-nation tournament to be hosted by Nepal from January 14 to February 3 includes Bangladesh, Ireland, Namibia, Papua New Guinea and the United States. Group 'B' includes Nepal, the Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Thailand and Scotland. The matches of the tournament will be held at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur and the upper ground of Mulpani.

Nepal will play practice matches with Ireland in Lower Mulpani on January 14 and with the United States in Kirtipur on January 16. After that, Nepal is scheduled to play Thailand on January 18, the Netherlands on January 22, Zimbabwe on January 24 and Scotland on January 26. This is the first time Nepal is playing Zimbabwe and Scotland. Nepal's 20-member preliminary team for the Women's Twenty20 World Cup qualifiers is in training. Coach Pathak arrived in Nepal on Sunday. He was able to watch the Nepali women's cricket team's Super Over in Mulpani as soon as he arrived. He considers it a warm welcome. 

'When I saw it, the players were playing well, the main thing was that they had a big purpose,' Pathak said, 'When they had the bat in their hands, they did not want to be out and when they had the ball in their hands, they tried to take wickets. This shows their competitive level,' he says from Pune that he came to Nepal with a big purpose.

CAN's cricket manager Binod Das says that he has signed a two-year contract with him. 'We have brought him (Pathak) not only with the aim of selecting him for the Women's Twenty20 World Cup, but also with the responsibility of overseeing all women's cricket activities along with the status of coach of the women's national team,' Das said, 'We have planned to rebuild women's cricket, Pathak will lead it.'

Das says that the result of the Women's Twenty20 World Cup selection will not change the purpose of bringing Pathak. He informed that Pathak will play the role of coach when the Nepali women's team plays age-group competitions.