Sanjay Manjrekar says, `Nepal have an inherent fighting spirit`

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Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar lavished praise on the Rohit Paudel-led Nepal team and likened the team’s attitude to Rashid Khan’s Afghanistan.

Manjrekar revealed that even India’s team in the ’90s looked anxious, but despite being an associate nation, Nepal look ready for big challenges. 

“It’s inherent, something that is God-given. I dare say, India used to be nervous for a number of years. I used to be part of a team in the ’90s that was anxious when it went abroad. I don’t see that anxiety in Afghanistan or Nepal. So that’s great. The other thing is that they have skills, very important,” Manjrekar said at an event hosted by TCM Sports, celebrating the rise of Nepal cricket at the Cricket Club of India on Monday.

Nepal lost to two-time champions England by just four runs in a T20 World Cup game at the Wankhede Stadium last Sunday.

Manjrekar, 60, who played 37 Tests and 74 ODIs, revealed that he has become a big fan of Nepal’s cricket. “I saw them [Nepal] in the [2023 ODI] Asia Cup and I became sort of a supporter. There were a couple of things that I liked. There is an inherent fighting spirit, which Afghanistan have as well. Afghanistan never go on the field as an emerging team or a weaker team. Nepal is different. That’s the thing with the T20 World Cup, the talent that you have with every nation is homegrown, which is the case with Nepal and Afghanistan as well,” remarked Manjrekar.

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