Ever since they shocked New Zealand in the opening match of the cricket Under-19 World Cup at Fatullah on Thursday, the Nepalese team has been flooded with congratulatory phone calls. “Calls are coming from everywhere. Even the Prime Minister (K P Sharma Oli) called, wishing us luck for tomorrow’s match,” says Aarif Sheikh, the team’s soft-spoken vice-captain. On Saturday, Nepal play Ireland, a team they have dominated lately. And if they pull off another victory, they will all but advance to the quarterfinals, which would be their best performance since they lifted the Plate (second tier) trophy in 2006.
