Infrastructure Essential For Development Of Sports

Although the game of ball and willow started several decades ago in Nepal, it would be wrong to say that the game has come of age, in terms of progress. As a matter of fact, paucity of fund, coupled with absence of infrastructures and facilities has stagnated the game. Thanks largely to avid cricketers who engaged themselves in staging local tournaments on their own, the game barely managed to survive all these years. The present scenario is far from satisfactory despite our frequent international participation. International exposure is a must but more importantly in the broader and greater interest of the game we have to develop our own physical facilities and training centres. A few playing fields and occasional international participation is definitely not going to help our cause in the long run. What we badly require is a formidable and effective structure and a committed Association. Unless and until, we have our own mechanism to nurture local players, our expectation is bound to fall short regardless of what we undertake. It is, therefore, imperative that we become self-reliant. In view of the unprecedented popularity enjoyed by cricket, promoting the game should not be a problem. Such is the craze for the game that it is played in every nook and corner of the country by people of all ages. We should not be overwhelmed by a few success that have come by recently. Full credit goes to our cricketers who have dazzled amidst adverse conditions. They have displayed their latent wizardry of the games and class to master the game. The manner in which our cricketers have impacted international cricket in a short period of time amply proves that we can achieve a lot more. Speaking of talents in the country there is no dearth. We have the Tendulkars and Laras amongst us in abundance. Forget our ailing economy, as long as there is a will there is a way. What about Bangladesh at par with Nepal, economically. If they have done it, why can’t we? We can draw inspiration from them and get ourselves into serious business. The big success Nepal capped in the recently concluded Youth Asia Cup 2001 in Kathmandu is a further testimony to our potential. Disposing a heavyweight in the likes of Malaysia with clinical precision in the final underlines our slow but steady emergence in world cricket. By and large, the team gave a sizzling and outstanding performance, eventually earning themselves a spot in the World Youth Cup Cricket Championship, taking place in New Zealand next year. There can be no bigger reward than this for the youngsters who are hungry for bigger success. There were brilliant individual performances, especially from the flamboyant Lakpa Lama who won both man of the match on the final and man of the series awards. Kudos, to the team for their masterly performance. You have made the country proud.

Sushil Thapa
Winchester, Virginia, USA