Nepal’s participation in the 2014 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup marked a watershed in the sport’s history in the country. The event drew widespread attention to cricket across the country, encouraging more young people to take up the game.

Many members of the squad that has now travelled to Mumbai for Nepal’s third Men’s T20 World Cup belong to that inspired generation. Those who once watched their heroes on television are now wearing the national colours themselves. Sompal Kami is the only player in the current squad who was part of the Nepali team that played in the 2014 T20 World Cup.

As Nepal look ahead to the 2026 tournament, skipper Rohit Kumar Paudel said the team is determined to leave a lasting impact on aspiring cricketers back home.

Speaking at the Captain’s Press Conference at the BCCI office inside the Wankhede Stadium complex on Tuesday, Paudel reflected on how Nepal’s maiden appearance at the 2014 T20 World Cup became a defining moment for cricket in the country.

“This World Cup is very important for us…because after 10 years we qualified for the 2024 World Cup and consecutively we are playing the second one,” Paudel said. “The 2014 World Cup has inspired a lot of players in this group. I think the same will happen to the next generation who will be watching us in this World Cup. We would like to leave that impact on the young generation.”

The skipper also stressed that the Rhinos were buoyed by the results they have produced since the previous World Cup. “We got very close against South Africa and Bangladesh in the 2024 T20 World Cup,” Paudel said. “We also got the opportunity to play the West Indies in Sharjah last year, and the win gave a lot of confidence to the boys. We are taking all these motivations to the 2026 World Cup.”

Nepal will be facing two-time T20 World Cup champions England and the West Indies in Group C, alongside Scotland and Italy. Nepal will open their World Cup campaign playing against England on Sunday. They will then play Italy on February 12, the West Indies on February 15 and Scotland on February 17.

The Rhinos have been on a high in the lead-up to the global event. They defeated the UAE by seven wickets in the first warmup match on Tuesday. On Thursday, they beat Canada by six wickets, chasing down the 162-run target with 12 balls to spare. Aasif Sheikh (58 off 29), Sundeep Jora (44 off 30) and Gulshan Kumar Jha (31 off 25) shone in Nepal’s victory.

As they start their campaign on Sunday, Nepal will be looking forward to progressing to the Super 8, which would be a major achievement for them. They have never got past the group stage in their previous two participations.

The 2026 T20 World Cup features nine Associates, all of whom will be seeking to upset the heavyweights and progress to the Super 8.

Given their remarkable progress in the last decade, the Rhinos have earned well-wishers worldwide.

After the end of the Captain’s Press Conference in Mumbai, the Post caught up with Afghanistan’s skipper Rashid Khan. Khan had taken note of Nepali cricket’s progress. “In a couple of years, Nepali cricket is going to be up here,” Khan told the Post, raising his hand up high. “The passion for cricket in Nepal is unbelievable. We would like to play there someday.”

When Nepal debuted in the T20 World Cup in 2014, they managed two wins in the First Stage, against Hong Kong and Afghanistan. The latter are a Test nation now and were the semi-finalists in the 2024 T20 World Cup.

“First, there were expectations that Afghanistan would play in the World Cup. After we qualified a couple of times, we were expected to beat Test-playing nations,” Khan said in the press conference. “Now, we are expected to win the World Cup. It is all about hard work and we want to meet those expectations.”

When the Post asked Khan how Nepal should handle the expectations, he offered a time-honoured advice: “Trust the process.”

A batting pitch

Wankhele is a high-scoring wicket. The highest T20I total at Wankhede Stadium so far is 247/9, posted by India against England on February 2 last year.

“As a batter, it would be great to post 300+ runs,” Shai Hope, the West Indies captain, said in the Captain’s Press Conference as he sat beside Paudel. “The game has evolved a lot compared to the past, especially shots. But the bowling, especially googly, as well as other aspects are also evolving. All we need to do is focus on our preparation.”

Afghanistan’s skipper Rashid Khan said that India is not unfamiliar for many players who have played in diffferent parts of the country during the Indian Premier League. “The players are knowledgable of the conditions here, so it is an advantage for many,” he said.

However, Khan argued that the bowlers will not make it easy to score big totals.

“As a bowler, I cannot expect to let the team score 200+, even if they come with a mindset of scoring 200-300 runs,” said Khan, a world-renowned legspinner. “When you bowl in the right areas, it will not make it easy for the batters. It is always up to you to decide to bowl the best balls. I trust that and believe that.”

Focus on intent rather than the toss

During night matches, dew comes into effect. As dew makes it difficult for bowlers, the teams winning toss often elect to bowl first. However, many captains argued that intent would matter the most.

“Dew is not in our control, so we will be more focused on our intention,” said Surya Kumar Yadav, skipper of the Indian team. “Dew factor will be removed from our mind when we win the toss and take our game forward.”

The T20Is are always harsh on bowlers, Yadav said. “Thankfully, I am a batter,” Yadav remarked. “But I feel for my bowlers.”

Meanwhile, Khan said that it is “not the toss, but the skills that matter.”

When Yadav was asked about the reason behind India’s success in recent years, he replied, “Indian mentality.”

“We have started taking on the bilateral series, Asian tournament and the World Cup with a similar intent,” Yadav added. “It is what makes us different.”

Geopolitical conflict trickles down to World Cup

Geopolitics has cast a shadow over the 2026 T20 World Cup. First, Bangladesh withdrew from the event, and then Pakistan refused to play against their group opponent India.

The withdrawal of Bangladesh allowed Scotland to participate. And with only around a week of preparation targeting the World Cup before arriving in Mumbai, Scotland still have big hopes.

“Yes, we have not practiced as other teams, but we have been playing regular cricket,” said Richie Berrington, captain of Scotland. “We have shown in the previous tournament that we can compete at this level. All matches in the group stage are going to be tough, but we will be aiming for wins.”

Meanwhile, regarding Pakistan government’s decision to not play against India, Yadav said that ‘it was not under their control’.

“We are clear,” the Indian skipper said. “We have booked our flight to Colombo and we will be at the stadium for the match against Pakistan.”

Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, Ireland, the Netherlands, the UAE and Zimbabwe had their Captain’s Press Conference in Colombo. All of them stressed that they were at the World Cup with high hopes.