Nepali cricket fandom will have a hot new swag at the Asia Cup 2023 cricket tournament in September. Sports lovers won’t be divided between supporting India or Pakistan anymore, as there will be a third team to die for—Nepal. Even as uncertainty shrouds the championship Pakistan is hosting—as India will potentially seek a neutral venue, if not boycott the tournament—Nepal now makes a formal entry into the group of South Asian cricketing giants as a worthy competitor. From watching India and Pakistan play the game to actually playing against them in the upcoming regional championship, Nepali cricket has come a long way.

Having secured a place in the World Cup Qualifiers 2023 to be held in Zimbabwe in June and July, and now qualifying for the Asia Cup in September, this new generation of Nepali cricketers has proven its resilience and a zeal to succeed against odds. Head coach Monty Desai seems to have worked wonders with the men’s national team since his appointment in early February. The confidence he has been able to instil in the Nepali players to go out and “express themselves”—and in such a short time—can only be described as miraculous. New captain Rohit Paudel too has played his part by providing a calm and steady leadership. This is the best position the Nepali cricket team has ever been in, and the latest win against a formidable rival, the United Arab Emirates, in the ACC Premier Cup finals after an impressive showing throughout the tournament has fortified Nepal’s position as an emerging cricket power.

The twin rain disruptions in the final match between Nepal and the UAE on Monday failed to dampen the winning spirit of the cricket team and the fans, as they held their ground until late in the afternoon when the game was paused for the day. And by the time the game resumed on Tuesday morning, the stadium was packed again to the brim as fans came prepared with improvised cushions and cartons to sit on and raincoats and umbrellas to keep themselves dry. They played a crucial role in lifting the spirit of the Playing XI as the indispensable “12th man”. Thankfully, the rain gods were more benevolent on Tuesday as batsman Gulshan Kumar Jha (67 not out) and Bheem Sarki (36 not out) guided Nepal to an easy victory, gunning down the target of 118 in 30.3 overs.

As of now, Nepal has not been able to reap many benefits from having cricketing titans like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and recently Afghanistan in its vicinity. It is as if Nepal has remained in the backyard of what could easily be called the cricketing capital of the world. The country’s recent strides in cricket, though, will change that for the better. The Nepali Rhinos have much to learn from the neighbouring champions in teambuilding, resilience and technical aspects, to further fortify their place in the cricketing world. But for now, it’s party time. Thank you, Team Nepal, which really is a microcosm of this diverse country we all proudly call home, for giving each of us reason to cheer.