The Irish cricketer-turned-commentator and a big promoter of Nepali cricket, Andrew Leonard, recently opined that the biggest asset of Nepali cricket is its passionate fan base. In addition, the new and only woman member of the commentary team for the Nepal Premier League season 2 (NPL), Jess Crowe—a renowned Australian media personality—highlighted the unique mindset and passion of Nepali cricket supporters. During a match report, Crowe conveyed that she had covered cricket matches in many countries but had never witnessed such a fervent fan base as in Nepal. She mentioned that Nepali fans are true admirers of the game—united by the game rather than divided by team allegiance. Every run scored and every wicket taken in the Tribhuvan University (TU) Cricket Ground is celebrated by the whole crowd. Whoever wins, the crowd ardently enjoys the beautiful game of cricket.

These might seem like regular remarks of cricket broadcasters during the matches, but these comments deliver a very deep message. Observations of international media personalities convey that cricket is becoming a connecting link between the youth of Nepal. The passion and overwhelming support of Nepali fans to our national cricket team and also to all the teams in the ongoing NPL have been highly lauded by the international sports fraternity. The spectators of the NPL are predominantly young people who have contributed to transforming the league into arguably the nation’s largest sporting event.

However, just two months before the NPL, the same youth generation was portrayed as the driving force behind the widespread destruction caused during the Gen Z movement. The protesters, mostly frustrated youngsters, set ablaze state and public properties worth billions.

What is frustrating the youth?

The current generation of youngsters was born and raised in a multimedia-dominated environment. With the rapid evolution of the internet and smart devices over the last decades, global events are just a click or a tap away. With that, the youngsters can compare and critically analyse events in the country and the rest of the world. They are frustrated by bad governance, state-sponsored corruption and nepotism persistent in the country.

Over the last decades, Nepal has become the source of cheap labour for Middle Eastern countries. Compounding the problem, the state itself is involved in smuggling its citizens to Europe and the US through various illicit means, the infamous fake Bhutanese refugee scam being the evidence. In addition, a large section of the youth who have remained in the country is devoid of basic statutory facilities, including accessible healthcare services and quality education.

These adversities are the triggering factors that have intensified frustration among the youth. These conditions were favourable for the agitators to exploit the raging frustrations of the youngsters during the Gen Z movement that culminated in the unprecedented devastation on September 9.

Sports induce positivity

The atmosphere during the ongoing NPL is totally different from what happened during the Gen Z movement. It is so soothing to witness cricket fans, mostly youth, enjoying the game to the fullest. The spectators are showcasing our cultural heritage and hospitality from the stadium stands to the world. Foreign players and commentators are also wholeheartedly praising Nepali supporters, spreading positive news about Nepal in the cricketing world. The ruthless and violent mob just a couple of months ago has evolved into a sober cricket-supporting crowd. This is the sheer magic of sports.

Studies show that sports induce the brain to release adrenaline and dopamine—the chemicals that initiate the feelings of joy, excitement and energy. Such feelings impart positivity in the individual, thereby spreading a positive ambience in society.

The NPL has shown how the youth can be positively motivated. Additionally, the recent success of the Nepali women’s football team has showcased the unmatchable capability of our athletes. The impressive performances of the likes of Sabitra Bhandari, Anjila Tumbapo Subba, Rekha Poudel and Preeti Rai in world-class foreign football teams have shown that our players are capable of confidently competing with international counterparts. Notably, our cricket team is progressing swiftly on the global cricketing arena. The improved performance of our athletes will motivate our youth to think positively.

International instances have shown that sports actually unite the nation. The notable example is post-apartheid South Africa, which was deeply divided—racially, socially and politically—for many years. In 1995, the country hosted the Rugby World Cup—an entirely white dominated game. However, President Nelson Mandela made a surprising move during the World Cup by publicly urging the people to support their team. He even wore the Springbok jersey to motivate the people. South Africa’s triumph in the final against New Zealand encouraged the black and the white citizens alike to celebrate together in stadiums and streets with national pride that temporarily overcame racial tensions. The Springbok team became a cultural symbol of unity. Historians term this a turning point in South Africa’s national identity. This incident demonstrates the power of sports to unite a country.

With the exemplary support that NPL is receiving and with international examples, we have to acknowledge the contribution of sports in injecting positivity into the lives of people. So, sports should be unconditionally promoted in the country. For that, new world-class stadiums should be constructed, and international teams should be invited to play in Nepal. With a thriving cricketing culture in South Asia and escalating political tensions between various South Asian countries, Nepal has a big scope of being a neutral venue for hosting the bigwigs of South Asian cricket. We should grab this opportunity not only to empower our national team but also for economic benefits.

The sporting culture has the power to instil positivity in the youth, thereby uniting the nation. Policymakers and think tanks would do well to involve our youth in sports rather than promoting partisan politics.