Nepal seeks revenge against Bangladesh after a decade

By Shashank Timsina | Posted Posted Jun 16, 2024

After a decade-long wait, Nepal is set to face Bangladesh once again on the world stage, making a highly anticipated rematch on Monday at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, St. Vincent. The teams last met during Nepal’s Twenty20 World Cup debut in Bangladesh, where Nepal suffered an eight-wicket loss.

While Bangladesh is almost assured a spot in the Super 8 stage, Nepal is still in pursuit of their first win of the tournament. Despite a heartbreaking one-run loss to South Africa on Saturday, Nepal remains determined to conclude their campaign on a positive note by defeating Bangladesh.

A decade-long wait for revenge

In the 2014 Twenty20 World Cup, Bangladesh defeated Nepal, a victory that secured their progression to the next round. Nepal, on the other hand, narrowly missed out on qualification due to a lower net run rate. This upcoming match presents Nepal with a chance to avenge that loss and potentially disrupt Bangladesh’s path to qualification, contingent on the outcome of the Netherlands vs. Sri Lanka match happening later that day.

The Shakib Al-Hasan incident

The 2014 encounter between the two teams is remembered not just for the result but also for a controversial act by Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al-Hasan. When Bangladesh needed just one run to win, Shakib deliberately declined a single on the second ball of the 16th over, only to hit a six-over long-on on the next delivery to clinch the match. Many Nepali fans saw this as an act of disrespect.

An opportunity to test bench strength

With their tournament hopes already coming to an end, Nepal may use this match to test their bench strength. Players like Lalit Rajbanshi, Kamal Singh Airee, and Sundeep Jora, who are yet to feature in the event, might get an opportunity to showcase their skills against a full-member nation.