Soon after arriving in Kathmandu as the head coach of Nepal, Stuart Law stated: I don’t like losing, I am a bad loser. This very statement will now be tested as a major challenge when Nepal faces hosts Scotland and the Netherlands in the ICC World Cup Cricket League 2 series in Dundee.

Judging by past results and performances, this will arguably be the toughest series Nepali cricketers face. Nepal sits at the bottom of League 2, with the Netherlands in the second position. Scotland, currently in fourth place, are only six points behind the Netherlands. Further, Scotland have played four fewer matches than the Dutch side.

In comparison, the Rhinos are 20 points behind the Dutch and 14 points behind the Scottish team. Nepal have played four and eight games fewer than Scotland and the Netherlands.

Moreover, Scotland are the defending champions of League 2, and the Netherlands have emerged from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.

Scotland and the Netherlands, with the UAE, played a League 2 series in the Netherlands from May 4 to 16. Before the tri-series began, the UAE vs Scotland fixture was scheduled for March 9, 2024, but it was cancelled due to a storm. Scotland won it by 3 wickets.

In the next six games of the 11th tri-series, out of the 24 tri-series in the League 2 cycle (2024-27), Scotland won two, the Netherlands won three, and the UAE won a game. In the last game of the tri-series between the host and the Netherlands, Scotland hammered 380/9 in the first inning and went on to win the game by 145 runs.

Meanwhile, Nepal’s challenge is not limited to strong and top-ranked opponents. Playing in Scottish conditions presents another significant hurdle.

Unlike the flat wickets in Nepal, Scotland’s pitches tend to be grassy and bouncy—a tough prospect for Nepali players. With Nepal’s batters still lacking confidence against short-pitched deliveries, the nature of the Scottish wickets could pose a serious obstacle.

Even on flatter tracks, opponents have been targeting Nepal's vulnerabilities by persistently bowling short balls. In Dundee, handling this could prove particularly tough for Nepal.

After training in Kathmandu’s intense summer heat, the Nepali team arrived in London in mid-May, looking sharp. During their warm-up matches—one in Cardiff, Wales, and three in London—the Rhinos wore sweaters and jumpers to cope with the cold. Dundee is typically windier and colder, which makes it difficult especially for spinners to grip the ball. Batters don’t feel any easier.

Nepal tackled these challenges during a warm-up match against Scotland ‘A’ on Thursday in Dundee. In that first practice game, Nepal suffered a heavy defeat, losing by 102 runs. Batting first, the home side scored 220 runs for 9 wickets in their allotted 40 overs. In response, Nepal were bowled out for just 118 runs in 29.4 overs. Aside from Aarif Sheikh, who scored 44, the rest of Nepal’s batting lineup failed to make a significant contribution.

The League 2 matches of the 13th tri-series begin on Monday. Before that, Nepal will play one more practice match against Scotland ‘A’ on Saturday.

The UK tour marks the official start of Law’s tenure with the Nepali team. Supporting him is former South African wicketkeeper Nic Pothas, who joined Nepal’s coaching staff on Thursday. Pothas, who has previously worked with teams from Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and Bangladesh, has been appointed as a consultant coach for Nepal. Law and Pothas also worked together in the Caribbean and for the county club of Middlesex.

Despite the duo’s extensive coaching experience, they don’t wield a magic wand. Nepal, having played 12 matches, sits at the bottom of the table with only 6 points—a worrying sign for the team’s campaign to retain its One Day International (ODI) status.

Nepal began their 2024–27 League 2 journey with a home series against Namibia and the Netherlands. However, they managed to win just one out of four matches in that series, marking the beginning of their struggle in this cycle.

In the 2019–23 League 2 cycle, Nepal won 11 of their last 12 matches—not only preserving their ODI status, but also directly qualifying for the World Cup Qualifier. Of those 11 wins, 8 came at home, where Nepal had an exceptional record. In total, Nepal played 12 home matches during that cycle and won 10 of them.

This time, nothing has gone Nepal’s way, neither at home nor abroad.

During their tour to Canada in September, Nepal couldn’t register a single win against Canada or Oman. They suffered three defeats, while one match against Oman was washed out due to rain. That tour stands as Nepal’s weakest performance in League 2 history. The most painful moment came in the match against Oman, where Nepal posted 220 runs but still lost by one wicket.

Nepal’s misfortune continued even after travelling from Canada to the USA for the next League 2 series. Despite scoring 286 runs against the United States, Nepal lost the match with just two more balls to defend. However, they did manage a morale-boosting 5-wicket win over Scotland, proving that when the Rhinos play well, anything is possible. Another match against Scotland in the same series was washed out due to rain. In total, two of Nepal’s matches in this cycle have been abandoned due to rain, while they have won two and lost the remaining eight.

The top four teams in League 2 will reach the World Cup Qualifier while the bottom four teams play against promoted teams to retain their ODI status. Nepal still have 24 matches to play. Coach Law’s goal is to finish in the top four. However, to achieve this, Nepal must first produce some positive results in Scotland.