Nepal set to face the Lord's battle

KATHMANDU: Undefeated in their tour of England so far, Nepal are set to face the real purposeful battle as they go head to head against the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at the Lord's, the holy grail of cricket, on Tuesday.

The match is all set for a historic moment in the offering for the Nepali cricket players and the fans. The game would mark the bicentenary relationship between Nepal and the United Kingdom.

The MCC, the oldest cricket club, are expected to field a strong team against Nepal, who are booming with confidence in the wake of their unscathed performance in the tour so far where they won all of their practice matches.

“We saw during our November tour (of Nepal) that there are a lot of talented cricketers in the Nepali team, so I will be selecting a strong MCC team which will hopefully provide a very entertaining spectacle for everyone. MCC has an excellent working relationship with Cricket Association Nepal (CAN) and this fixture will only enhance that,” said MCC Head of Cricket John Stephenson.

Nepali players would leave no stone unturned to cherish this moment and make it a memorable one. Skipper Paras Khadka is all geared up for the showdown.

“We are happy, proud and privileged to get this opportunity. Not everyone gets the opportunity to play at Lord’s. It's a historic moment for all the cricketers and everyone involved with Nepali cricket,” expressed Khadka.

Nepal won all of their practice matches against the likes of Free Foresters Cricket Club, Indian Gymkhana Cricket Club, Club Cricket Conference and the Eastbourne Cricket Club in their run-up to this game.

"Its a great day for whole Nepal because we are playing at the Lord's for the first time. There is a challenge to do well because there will be a huge backing for us. As a member of the coaching staff, it's a proud moment for us to play this game," said Coach Jagat Tamata.

Tamata added that everything, a half century or a century or five-wicket haul will be historical.

He said the players and everyone involved with the team are eagerly awaiting this moment and expressed that the game will be taken as a competition more than a mere friendly.

The game is scheduled to begin from 3:15 pm and will be telecasted on NTV Plus.