KATHMANDU: Lack of international exposure will be the key factor haunting the Nepa national basketball team at the 11th South Asian Games in Dhaka early next year.

National team coach Dinesh Nakarmi is prudent enough to talk about the bronze medal target in the regional meet. Though the game has been one of the most played sports — especially in the capital — Nakarmi said bronze medal would be a realistic target for Nepal.

“We have played very

few international tournaments, which is not enough to fulfill big expectations. But, relying in the available resources, bronze target would be a realistic one,” said Nakarmi, who has been in the duty since 2000.

Looking back, the only success for national team came in 2000 when it beat Maldives in the SAFF Basketball Championship. After that the national team

has played just two international tournaments. Nepal participated in the Asia Cup qualifiers in Delhi in 2003 and 2005, but the team

failed to taste win. In 2003, Nepal were hammered by India, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and in

2005 they were crushed

by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh and India.

Four years after their last international participation, it would be a real test for Nepal in the SA Games where they can come with win.

Nepal will get to play the nations matching their playing style and the team itself is joined by young brigade. Coach Nakarmi said his

team was technically

sound and has been working a lot in the physical aspects. “Along with the technical aspects, we have focused a lot in the physical strength but we lack the height advantage,” added the coach.

However, he was hopeful of earning wins against Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh and Pakistan. India, who have been the formidable opponents and Afghanistan, who could include the expatriates, are real threats to Nepal. Captain and senior player Bipendra Maharjan along with Rabindra Maharjan and Ajay Manandhar are have played for Nepal in all international tournaments. Karma Gurung, Bijaya Khatri and Sanjaya Byanjankar are the other players with an international experience.

The team would get new faces in Binod Maharjan, Binod Shrestha, Amir

Ghale, Manoj Sherchan, Sadish Pradhan, Vikram Joshi, Rajeev Joshi and Yukta Bhakta Mathema.

The players are confident of putting up a good fight in the SA Games. Senior player Rabindra Maharjan believed the sport had gradually improved and the six-month long training before travelling to Dhaka would give them enough strength to fight against the opponents.