South Asian Games 2019: Nepal captain Gyanendra Malla feels India's and Pakistan's absence will be an advantage for them
What's the story?
Nepal Cricket Team’s captain, Gyanendra Malla, has spoken about his side’s chances of securing a medal at South Asian Games 2019. As per the new skipper, the absence of Asian giants, India and Pakistan, will boost their chances of winning a medal but, it will give them a lesser amount of exposure.
The background
Cricket is making a comeback to South Asian Games for the first time since 2010. The defending champions, Bangladesh had earlier declared their squad for the five-team tournament in Kathmandu. The hosts have also made a lot of modifications to their team and the team management has also named a new leader.
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The heart of the matter
Talking to Republica ahead of the multi-sport event, Malla said that Nepal will hope to earn a medal at the cricket event. When asked about India and Pakistan’s absence from the tourney, he responded:
“There are two ways to look at the absence of India and Pakistan in the SAG. As a team who wants to win gold, we strive to beat the best ones. So, on the matter of exposure it is a loss for us. But on count of the medal tally, their absence is an advantage.”
Speaking about his new role in the team, Malla revealed that nothing much has changed because all the players are playing for the nation. He added:
“It is just that the role is changed, but the responsibilities are the same. We are playing for Nepal. As a vice or regular captain, we always look to do best for the team.”
Besides, he even mentioned the reason Nepal has altered their cricket squad quite frequently. He was quoted as follows:
“Players don’t get unsettled. Players get international exposure. Whoever we try they know their role or at the worst, their limitations. Results are not going our way but they are gaining experiences. We also need to have strength in the bench. We need as many ‘players up for the task’ as possible. Upcoming qualifiers, ODI cycle is very important for us. We need to have a pool of players to choose from. We won’t know them until and unless we try them.”
What’s next?
The SAG 2019 Cricket event starts on 3rd December with a game between the home side and Sri Lanka U-23 team.