Kathmandu, Nov. 8: The Nepali men’s cricket team returned home on Thursday after completing the Triangular Series in Canada and the USA, part of the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2.

Captain Rohit Kumar Poudel described the tour as unforgettable but expressed disappointment about missed opportunities.

Speaking to the media upon their arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, he acknowledged that the team fell short of its objectives, particularly in Canada. “In America, the team was starting to find its rhythm, but we lost two matches to the US. Overall, we missed our goals for the tour,” he stated.

During the series in Canada and the US, Nepal played a total of eight matches, winning only one against Scotland in the US and losing five.

Additionally, two matches were cancelled due to rain, allowing Nepal to accumulate 2 more points. Out of a possible 16 points from the eight matches, the Nepali team ended up with only 4 points.

Captain Poudel also highlighted that the batting performance in Canada was lacking. “The conditions in Canada were quite challenging. However, once we got to America, everyone started scoring runs. Both T20 and ODI formats saw good performances there. Our batting unit struggled in Canada, which was a mistake on our part,” he admitted.

When asked about the team’s underperformance in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) despite a busy T20 schedule earlier this year, Poudel stated that he wouldn’t use that as an excuse. “We played a lot of T20 matches this year, and we cannot hide behind that. We need to take responsibility for our performance,” he asserted. “Both formats are different, and we, as a batting unit, failed to deliver.”

Looking ahead, Poudel acknowledged that the upcoming matches would be challenging due to their struggles in the Canada and US series. “We are certainly facing an added challenge after a poor start. We performed well in the last series of the previous League 2 cycle,” 

he noted.

Poudel emphasized the need for Nepali batters to adapt better to the 50-over format. “Our batters need more experience with 50-over games. Playing two-day matches would help them improve in this format,” he added.

Team consultant coach Jagat Tamata commented on the lack of favorable results in Canada. “The players performed well, but we didn’t achieve the desired outcomes. To improve results, we must play better cricket,” he explained.