In Sharjah, Nepal didn’t just win a match — we crossed a threshold together
Sharjah, September 27, 2025 — What unfolded at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium last night was bigger than a scoreline. Nepal defeated West Indies by 19 runs — our first-ever victory against an ICC Full Member — and in doing so, announced that Nepal’s cricket belongs on the global stage not as a guest, but as a competitor.
From the vantage point of the UAE diaspora, the night felt familiar and new at once. Familiar, because Sharjah’s terraces have so often echoed with Nepali voices; new, because of the composure with which Nepal managed every phase of the contest. Asked to bat, Nepal stitched together 148/8, anchored by captain Rohit Paudel’s 38 and Kushal Malla’s 30, while West Indies veterans Jason Holder (4/20) and debutant Navin Bidaisee (3/29) kept striking back. It took discipline to build a defendable total on a surface that offered just enough to the bowlers.
Then came the squeeze. A direct hit from Kushal Bhurtel set the tone; the spinners tightened it. Through the middle, Paudel and Lalit Rajbanshi conceded just 16 in four overs, and Dipendra Singh Airee’s laser throw ended a crucial stand. Holder’s dismissal to Bhurtel put the chase beyond reach; West Indies closed 129/9. This was not a heist; it was structure and clarity, ball after ball.
For years, we have celebrated potential. Today, we celebrate proof. Nepal have beaten Associate sides before — even Afghanistan in 2014, before their elevation — but this was the first time we finished the job against a Full Member, and we did it in a bilateral series opener. That matters. It validates the players’ temperament, the coaching group’s plans, and the Cricket Association of Nepal’s pathway work that’s finally bearing fruit on nights like these.
As an editorial team embedded in the UAE community, we also recognize the symbolism. The West Indies arrived with a refreshed squad led by Akeal Hosein and featuring multiple debutants; they chose to field first and backed their power game. Nepal met that challenge with smarts — rotating, fielding, and defending like a side comfortable in tight margins. The message is simple: the badge on our chest now travels with expectation.
What must happen next
Sustaining this level is the real assignment. Selection continuity, sharper death batting, and repeatable fielding standards will decide whether this becomes a stepping stone or a one-off. With the series now 1–0, Nepal have the chance to convert history into habit in the games ahead.
From our hearts to the stands: the happiest night for Nepalis in the UAE
Last night, Sharjah felt like home ground. Flags never stopped waving, voices never dimmed, and for ninety minutes after the final ball, the walkways were a river of red and blue. To every security guard rushing from a late shift, every student with exam notes tucked under a scarf, every family singing on the Metro — यो जित हाम्रा सबैका लागि हो. This is what joy sounds like when a community thousands of miles from Kathmandu beats like one drum. From all of us at NepaleseinUAE.com: thank you for turning a neutral venue into a memory we will carry forever. Jaya Nepal!