An Open Letter To Binod Bhandari From His Fan

Dear Brother,

As a big fan of Nepal Cricket Team as well as being one of your biggest fans from Nepal, representing all your fans and a Facebook group named ‘Cricket Analysis,’ I am writing this open letter to you with due respect.

We know being an associate nation; it’s very tough to make it big as we lack necessary infrastructure. We haven’t got enough support from our cricket board as there is not enough matches for our boys to explore themselves. But whenever the matches of our team take place, we celebrate it like a festival and keep an eager wait for the matches. We even wait for games against local Indian clubs because it means a lot to us. On a match day, no other nation’s fans can match our excitement level whether the game is being held at Tribhuvan University Ground or abroad.

Whenever our team plays outside Nepal, we don’t get chance to watch the match live on TV but it doesn’t decrease our excitement level as we switch to ESPNCricinfo and keep on refreshing the site throughout the day with same level of excitement. However, 9 out of 10 times our excitement ends in disappointment and the major reason behind it is the failure of our batting. Most of the time, our batting line up fails and collapses like a pack of cards and we end up losing the match. It really hurts sir as this problem has been like a daily routine of our team whether it be our national team or U-19 team.

I don’t know about the rest but I expect a lot from you, as I am one of your biggest fan and an admirer. I still can’t get over your last ball six in your debut match against Kuwait in ACC T20 Cup 2009 where you snatched the match from jaws of the opposition and tied the match, which Nepal went on to win on bowl out. Those five sixes off five consecutive balls in a domestic match has been the best moment of my life. Whenever you scored runs or smashed the ball over the rope, I used to say “Dekhis Binod dai ko power, hamro dai Afridi wa Dhoni bhanda k kum” to my friends. With the same expectation I always wait for a game.

I still can’t get over your last ball six in your debut match against Kuwait in ACC T20 Cup 2009

However, I am a bit disappointed seeing your performance in the last few games where you gifted your wickets away and because of this, sometimes my friends make fun of me.

I supported Sagarmatha Legends in EPL only because of you. But without luck, we lost all our matches and this disappointed me as well as many fans of Sagarmatha Legends. We do not have any doubt of your potential, we all know how dangerous you can be on your day and can easily dispatch the ball out of the park. We also know our player don’t get enough opportunity to prepare mentally and physically which can be one of the reasons of our batting failure.

However, sir we also have to accept the fact that we play some poor cricket as well. In the team, your role is of a finisher and a wicket keeper and we know the fact that you are highly talented and can be as dangerous as Dhoni who carries out the same role. But sir we also expect you to control the innings whenever team is in trouble as Dhoni does.

However, I am a bit disappointed seeing your performance in the last few games where you gifted your wickets away and because of this, sometimes my friends make fun of me.

I mentioned above that being an associate nation it’s very tough to make it big. However, Afghanistan who were on our level few years back have proved themselves and are Test nation now because of the contribution of their players and support by the board. They are far above us at the moment but our national team won’t get much needed support from CAN. As a result, we lost our T20I status as well, also partly because of our poor performance.

Last thing I want to say sir is that India vs. Pakistan is a heated game for the respective nations which the teams and their respective fans hate to lose. Similarly, for us Nepal vs. Afghanistan is nothing less and we too don’t want to lose against Afghanistan.

I end this letter by requesting you sir please for the sake of your fans including me and for the sake of Nepali team, brother please don’t disappoint me and thousands of Nepalese fans who celebrate our matches regardless the opposition as a festival. Please give us a reason to celebrate this festival with even more joy and happiness. Sir please don’t get offended by this letter.  “JAY NEPAL, JAY NEPALI CRICKET TEAM”, Nepalese cricket team lover and your fan till I die.

THANK YOU

Your Obedient Fan

Rahul Shriwastav

Cricket Analysis Facebook Group.

Writer: Rahul Shriwastav

Admin, Cricket Analysis