"They have been supporting us for last 2-3 years": Nepal skipper Rohit Paudel thanks fans ahead of SA clash in T20 WC

Kingstown [St Vincent], June 14 (ANI): Ahead of their clash against South Africa in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Nepal skipper Rohit Paudel thanked the fans for showing support towards the Nepal Cricket Team regardless of their results. Nepal are in Group D and placed in third position in the points table, with just one point from two games they have played in the ongoing marquee event. Their last match against Sri Lanka at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Lauderhill, Florida was abandoned due to rain.

"They have been supporting us for the last 2-3 years and we are enjoying it. I think regardless of the result they have been supporting us and I believe that they will come here also and support us," Paudel said in the pre-match press conference.

The all-rounder further lauded the South African and Bangladesh saying that both are good teams and they have performed as a unit in the ongoing tournament which has helped them to qualify for the Super 8s.

"In this tournament, South Africa is playing good cricket and especially Bangladesh is also a good side. I think as a unit we are pretty much clear that we have to win both games to qualify for the Super Eights and talking about this condition after a long time in this venue, they are playing international cricket. So, we are looking forward to the challenges that this wicket offers and as we say walking in the unknowns because we don't know how the wicket will react. So, we'll assess the condition well tomorrow," the skipper added.

In the end, the 21-year-old player concluded by saying that most of the batters struggled to score runs in the United States because of the conditions and surface.

"In this tournament, especially in the USA, most of the batsmen are struggling, especially because of those conditions and the surface. And I believe that our bowling unit is doing a good job. And just we need to step up as a batting unit. And I believe that in this, in this, West Indies we'll do some good things as a batting unit and give a good score on the board so that our bowlers will defend it or whatever our bowler gives and we'll try to achieve it," the right-hand batter concluded.

In their third encounter of the ongoing mega event, Nepal will lock horns against South Africa at Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, St Vincent on Saturday.

Nepal Squad: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (WK), Anil Sah, Rohit Paudel (C), Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Sompal Kami, Gulsan Jha, Karan KC, Sagar Dhakal, Abinash Bohara, Kamal Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sundeep Jora, Pratis GC, Sandeep Lamichhane.

South Africa Squad: Quinton de Kock (WK), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (C), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Ryan Rickelton, Bjorn Fortuin, Tabraiz Shamsi. (ANI)