Kenya’s long wait for international cricket on home soil is set to come to an end tomorrow when they host Nepal in a bilateral series in Nairobi.
Nepal arrived in the country for the five T20 and three 50 overs matches yesterday. Kenya last hosted an international cricket fixture in November 2016 when they played Hong Kong in ICC World Cricket League matches at the Nairobi Gymkhana.
Since hosting Hong Kong, the country has been starved of cricket fixtures, thanks to unending leadership wrangles that have dominated the sport locally.
This has seen regional neighbors Uganda and Tanzania earning confidence from the international body, who have on several occasions granted them the hosting rights of a number of tournaments despite a lack of facilities. having facilities.
The tour to Kenya, the first for Nepal is also the first assignment for coach Manoj Prabhakar who took over the role recently following the departure of the previous coach Pubudu Dassanayeke last month.
Dassanayeke resigned after landing a job as head coach with the Canada team. Prabhakar has named a star-studded squad with star leg spinner Sandeep Lamichhane as captain.
Gyanendra Malla, Shahab Alam, and Bibek Yadav are making a comeback to the national team while young wicketkeeper-batter Arjun Saud has earned his maiden call-up to the team.
Nepal had a dismal campaign in the men's ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 and hope to turn the tables against Kenya.
Kenya’s national cricket team returned home last week from Jersey where they played in the last round of the men's ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B fixtures. Shem Ngoche will lead the national side which includes a few experienced cricketers.
Motivated by their recent success in Jersey, where Kenya beat hosts Uganda, Italy and Bermuda, this series may well be the impetus to mark a new dawn in Kenya’s cricket history.
