Nepal came extremely close against England, but were blown away by Italy in the subsequent fixture.
The kind of support that Nepal have in India – both the games that they have played so far in the T20 World Cup 2026 have been nothing less than home matches. However, the team has experienced a huge slump in their second game as compared to their first one.
After sending shivers down England’s spine in Mumbai, the Rohit Paudel-led side took a beating against Italy in their second fixture of the tournament. After the form that they were in after the first game, the kind of cricket they played in the subsequent fixture was a surprise for many – and not in a good manner.
However, head coach Stuart Law has warned the team to stay away from distractions on the eve of their must-win clash against the West Indies on Sunday. Though the Windies sit on top of the table, Nepal need to win both their remaining matches to ensure a qualification berth.
Stuart Law spoke of social media as a massive part of the Nepalese culture, which could also act as a distraction for the players featuring in the tournament. Too much focus on social media can take a team away from its job, is what the Nepal coach believes in.
“To me, social media can be a huge distraction. If you’re focusing on what you’re doing on social media, if you’re focusing on what people are saying about us on social media, and not focusing on what the team needs, the team-mates are saying, and the game applies, you’re distracted from your actual job,” said Law.
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On paper, they surely can! But Nepal will have to clinch the big moments in the game to be able to go anywhere near the qualification berth. Their first match against England was a good enough testament to their skill, but they will need to maintain the intensity.
And one of the first challenges for the players would be to keep their attention off social media. It might be very difficult for them to execute, as a lot of players rely on that medium for their endorsements and sponsorships. That being said, Stuart Law expressed that he tried convincing the team that their likes would go up if they won matches of cricket.
Furthermore, the Nepal coach believed that the manner in which they went down to Italy just days after giving England a run for their money is indicative of the fact that they lack mental toughness. Nepal now need to beat both, the West Indies and then Scotland to have any chance in the Super 8s.
“To go from that high to then go to an extreme low four days later, that’s not showing mental toughness. It’s not showing commitment to your team, to your country, to your family, to your team-mates,” said the Nepal coach.
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