Bigger expectations are in order from the men’s national cricket team after Stuart Law officially began his two-year coaching journey with the team on Saturday. Assuming his role, Law said he was ready for the challenge of lifting Nepali cricket to new heights.

Law, who was appointed at the start of April, touched down in Nepal for the first time on Friday night. On Saturday morning, he was at the cricket grounds in Mulpani to assess the players and build up a strong squad.

Law made his intent clear while speaking to journalists at an event organised by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) in Lower Mulpani to reveal him as the head coach.

“I don’t like losing, I am a bad loser,” he said. “My major target will be to qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup.”

Law, however, was measured on his views, adding that he did not take the CWC League 2, the pathway to the 2027 ODI World Cup, lightly. “It is special for a coach to represent his team in the World Cup,” he said. “The T20 World Cup is near, so we will focus on it.”

Nepal will face eight opponents in the T20 World Cup Asia-East Asia-Pacific Regional Qualifiers in Oman in October, with the top three teams entering the tenth edition of the Men’s T20 World Cup, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, from February to March next year.

If Law is successful in Oman, he will take Nepal to their third T20 World Cup next year. It would be consecutive World Cups for Nepal, who previously reached the world stage in 2014 and 2024.

No stranger to the sub-continent’s cricketing culture

Law is not new to South Asian cricket, having already coached Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

“We are glad that he [Law] made Nepal his new home,” Paras Khadka, secretary at CAN, said while welcoming Law to Mulpani on Saturday. “Our vision on the development of Nepali cricket matches. He has achieved a lot with big teams, and we believe he can help Nepal as well.”

CAN officials said they will be in discussion with the coach for the next few days to properly understand each other. “Until yesterday, I only had the chance to discuss with Captain Rohit and CAN staff through texts and emails,” Law said. “Now we will be together.”

Law brings with him years of experience coaching outside South Asia as well. A 1996 Cricket World Cup runner-up with Australia as a player, Law also led the teams of the West Indies (2018-19) and the United States (2024) as the head coach.

Law suggested that he was well aware of Nepal’s aims to be a Test-playing nation. “Test cricket is a big ambition but it takes time,” he said. “We need to first set up a proper structure in the team, and below them,” Law added, referring to the necessity of developing a cricket culture from the ground up.

‘Subtle changes’

As soon as Law arrived in Mulpani, he was brought in front of the media for his first press conference as Nepal’s coach. Battling a cold, he nonetheless appeared eager to get down to the business.

“I want to see the mentality of the boys,” Law said, citing the ‘core camp’. “There are senior, junior, as well as next-generation players in action.”

The camp will see 52 players, who are divided into four teams of 13 each, play a friendly tournament, in the presence of Law. It will be held between April 26 and May 3 in a double round-robin format at the two grounds in Mulpani.

The camp was the CAN’s brainchild. “We had been planning this for some time,” Khadka told the Post.

Law is happy with the initiation. The camp will allow him to know his players better, he said. “Players’ previous history will also matter, but this camp is important,” Law said. “There might not be massive but subtle changes to Nepal’s squad.”

Sharki hits a ton to welcome the new coach

As soon as the press meet wrapped up, Law entered the ground and met his players in the 52-men camp. Aasif Sheikh-led Team Green and Dipendra Singh Airee-led Team Yellow were then warming up for their match of the day.

Airee’s team batted first. While the openers provided a solid start, the middle order couldn’t continue the momentum and they were all out at 196 runs by 46 overs. Rupesh Kumar Singh scored a half-century while Bhurtel fell short of six runs for his 50.

Singh also bagged two wickets and so did Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, Kamal Singh Airee and Dipendra, while Bhurtel picked one as Team Green could only score 179 runs before getting bundled out in 43.1 overs.

Meanwhile, Law was welcomed with a stunning century by Bhim Sharki in the day’s other match at Upper Mulpani. Sharki, of Sandeep Lamichhane’s Team Red, scored 126 runs off 104 balls (13 fours, 2 sixes) before getting stumped out with only two balls remaining in the first inning.

Aarif Sheikh also scored a 50 for Team Red as Rohit Kumar Paudel’s Team Blue had to chase a formidable 348 runs. But Paudel’s batters couldn’t withstand Team Red’s sharp bowling attack, getting bundled out for 148 runs in 31.1 overs.