Nepal all set to debut in ODIs against against the Netherlands

What's the story?

Nepal will play their first ever ODI match against the Netherlands on the 1st of August this year. The match will be held as part of their first ever international bilateral ODI series.

The two-match-series will take place at as-yet-undisclosed venues in the Netherlands immediately following a T20 tri-series with the (Marylebone Cricket Club)MCC at Lords, which is scheduled for the 29th of July.

In case you didn't know...

The two sides last met at the 2019 ICC ODI World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe held in March 2018, with the Dutch winning the seventh-place playoff by 45 runs. Though both countries had secured ODI status by then (Netherlands, by sealing the World Cricket League Championship title with a victory over Namibia in Dubai back in December, and Nepal by beating Papua New Guinea just two days earlier), the match was not an official ODI as the ICC awarded ODI status to both sides only after the conclusion of the tournament.

The ODI series between the two sides will be the first one hosted in the Netherlands since the Dutch welcomed South Africa for a one-match-series in May 2013 and will also mark their return to ODI cricket after an absence of almost five years. Their last recognised ODI came against Canada at the 2015 ICC ODI World Cup Qualifiers in New Zealand in January 2014, where they failed to qualify and thereby lost their status.

Meanwhile, Nepal's most recent cricketing visit to the Dutch land was in August 2016, when the two sides shared honours in two List A internationals in the fourth round of the World Cricket League Championship.

The details

"We're delighted to welcome Nepal for their first ODIs, and our first ODI on home soil since 2013. After the honour of being invited to play at Lord's, we look forward to showing our home fans what we can do.

Nepal are an exciting team as we've all seen from the IPL Sandeep Lamichanne is a world-class player, will be a privilege to have them here. Nepal have always drawn good crowds in Holland, I'm sure it will be a great occasion," Netherlands coach Ryan Campbell said.

The second match of the series will take place on 3rd August 2018.

What's next

The Netherlands are supposed to host Ireland and Scotland in a tri-series starting on June 12, 2018. The series will see a unique Dutch eleven composed of a mix of new youngsters and long-time veterans. Peter Borren, Wesley Baresi, Stephan Myburgh, Ryan ten Doeschate, and Roelof van der Merwe are the notable names in the squad.

Nepal, meanwhile, will be looking to create a good name in international cricket from now on. Their young spinner Sandeep Lamichhane has been the talk of the town after a string of good performances for the Delhi Daredevils in this IPL season, despite the team not making it into the playoffs.

Author's take

It is extremely interesting to see the associate teams making good efforts in the sport, trying to rise up through the ranks. The different bilateral and trilateral competitions like these are steps in the right direction for these teams. It also helps in increasing the overall appeal of cricket.

These games also mean that players like Lamichhane get a good international exposure, making him visible in the eyes of scouts and agents who could recruit them to cash-rich leagues like the IPL or the Big Bash. This, in turn, could help in giving them opportunities to earn well also, which in turn influences more youngsters to join the game.