Brilliant effort, girls!

Back in our school days, the Nepali national cricket team was not good. To put it bluntly, we were a disappointing unit. Chasing even the smallest targets felt like an impossible task, and most of us didn’t expect much when Nepal played.

But even during those tough times, there was one bright spark: Nepal’s age-group cricket—especially the Under-19 boys’ team. They were something special. I still remember them taking down cricket giants like Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. We regularly featured in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup, and those young boys gave us hope. Their success not only drew mass attention to cricket but also inspired thousands of kids across the country to dream of becoming cricketers.

Fast forward to today, and I came home to an incredible sight—highlights of our Nepali Under-19 girls’ team beating Pakistan. Watching those girls bow to the turf in celebration brought tears to my eyes. It was pure joy and pride.

This victory can spark something special for the future, this can inspire millions of our daughters to chase this sport.

While the Nepali men’s cricket team has made a mark on the world stage, women’s cricket is still in its early days. This victory, though, feels like the beginning of something special. Just like the boys did years ago, these young girls could inspire millions of our daughters to pick up a bat and chase their cricket dreams.

I can’t help but think how far we’ve come. There was a time when people would switch channels or turn off the TV the moment a cricket match live came on. Majority of people simple didn’t understand the complex rules of cricket. Now? Our stadiums are packed whenever Nepal plays. Cricket has become the sport for us, and it’s one of the few fields in Nepal where the return on investment feels promising.

There’s still a long way to go to develop cricket in our country, but moments like these remind us of the potential we have—if we nurture it. Here’s to celebrating this incredible victory and hoping for many more to come—both for our boys and girls.