The cricket rivalry between Nepal and India goes back many years. While India’s national cricket team is considered a world powerhouse, Nepal’s team is still developing. However, Nepal has managed some memorable performances against its powerful neighbor over the decades. Here is a timeline of the history between the two national cricket teams.
Early Years (1990s)
- Nepal played its first official One-Day International match against India in 1996 in Kathmandu. India won the game easily by seven wickets.
- In 1998, the two teams met again in an ODI match in Kathmandu. Once more, India secured a comfortable victory, winning by 64 runs. These early encounters highlighted the gulf in quality between the two sides.
Breakthrough Win for Nepal (1999)
- In 1999, Nepal hosted India for another ODI in Kathmandu. In a massive upset, Nepal defeated India by one wicket, claiming its first-ever victory over the cricket giants.
- Chasing 208, Nepal lost wickets at regular intervals but held its nerve. Number 10 batsman Rupesh Khatri scored 49 runs to guide Nepal to a historic win. The victory injected new belief in Nepal’s cricket.
Narrow Defeats for Nepal (2000s)
- The two teams played regularly in multi-nation tournaments in the 2000s. Nepal came close occasionally but could not overcome the obstacles.
- In 2004, Nepal lost to India by just three runs in an Asia Cup match in Karachi. Batting first, India scored 250/9. Nepal was bowled out for 247 in their chase, falling short by the smallest of margins.
- Another close call came in 2006 when Nepal lost an Asia Cup match to India in Malaysia by 16 runs. The results showed that Nepal was raising its standards rather than exhibiting more vigorous opposition.
Memorable Tie in 2014
- In 2014, Nepal hosted India in an ODI match in Kirtipur. In a dramatic tie, both teams finished on 237/9 after their allotted 50 overs.
- It was the first time Nepal had shared the honors with India in an ODI match. Wicketkeeper Binod Bhandari scored an impressive 68 for Nepal. The tie further lifted Nepal’s self-belief.
More Competitive Contests
- Since 2015, ICC has introduced the Cricket World Cup League to decide global event qualifications.
- Nepal and India have regularly met in the ODI series as part of this structure. While wins have eluded Nepal, performances have been improving.
- In 2017, the teams played a historic day-night ODI in Dehradun. Batting second, Nepal fell only 30 runs short of India’s total of 263.
- Most recently, in 2020, Nepal managed 267 batting first but lost to India by five wickets in a World Cup League 2 match in Lucknow.
Gaining ODI Status
- Nepal was awarded ODI status by the ICC in 2018, a massive breakthrough in its cricket development.
- This allows Nepal to play the bilateral ODI series and improve its team against regular international opposition.
- With more exposure, Nepal’s national team will likely keep closing the gap on powerful sides like India in the years ahead. Fans hope for a historic first ODI win soon.
While results have often been one-sided initially, Nepal has shown it belongs internationally. Through pluck and determination versus far stronger opponents, Nepal cricket has come a long way. The rivalry with neighbor and giant India will undoubtedly produce many more thrillers. Nepal national cricket team vs India national cricket team timeline
Modern Encounters (2020s)
- Since gaining ODI status, Nepal has played a series of official ODI matches against India:
- November 2020, Lucknow – India won by five wickets
- February 2021, Lucknow – India won by five wickets
- March 2022, Lucknow – India won by six wickets
- While India has won all encounters this decade, Nepal’s performances have been very competitive.
- In 2021, Nepal posted its highest-ever ODI total of 256 against India before going down narrowly.
- Senior batsman Gyanendra Malla has shown good form, scoring 77 and 68 in the last two ODIs versus India.
- Bowlers Sompal Kami and Kamal Singh have also troubled Indian batters at times, taking valuable wickets.
Nepal’s Growing Stature
- Off the field, BCCI has been actively helping develop Nepali cricket with equipment, training and coaching assistance.
- More Nepalis are taking up the sport. Domestic cricket in Nepal is now a strong league with many tournaments annually.
- Significant clubs like APF and Kirtipur have professional structures and large local fanbases, driving the game’s growth.
- If current progress continues, many experts feel Nepal may upset a significant cricketing nation in coming ICC global events.
- With sustained efforts, the faraway days of one-sided matches against India seem destined to become a thing of the past.
In conclusion, while India will remain a firm favorite in most upcoming encounters, cricket fans are optimistic about Nepal’s rising potential on the international stage. The future remains bright as Nepal looks to continually narrow the gap with its powerful South Asian neighbors like India on the cricket field. Exciting times lie ahead in this fascinating bilateral cricket rivalry.
