Monday cover: Cricket’s role in a rebuilding Nepal

The National’s Sport cover for the Monday, July 6 issue, featuring Paul Radley’s special report on cricket in earthquake-hit Nepal.

Paul travelled to Kathmandu in the wake of April’s devastating tremor, discovering passions and aspirations for the sport still run deep despite adversity.

He talks to cricket fans, players and administrators in the country, who call it a unifying pursuit for a recovering population.

“Cricket has been a uniting factor for the last decade or so,” Binod Das, a former Nepal national team cricketer, said.

“It is one sport that we are doing well at international level in Nepal. We are doing well in cricket and that has brought lots of positivity to people in the country.

“Even people who are outside the country who are concerned about cricket, they want to see Nepal win. They take a lot of pride in our performances.

“I believe we have played a part in uniting the country in a small way. Once we start playing on a bigger stage, the stakes are going to get higher.

“I believe it is our responsibility to keep that hope alive. We have been able to bring smiles to people’s faces and I believe we will continue to do the same.”

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