Stuart Law has warned his team to be ready for a West Indies backlash as Nepal bid to seal a historic series victory on Monday in Sharjah.
The Asian side claimed their first win against a Test nation in front of thousands of their fans at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday night.
The three-match T20I contest is the first time Nepal have played a bilateral series against a Test side.
Law, Nepal’s coach, pointed out in the lead up to it that the series in essentially about preparation for the T20 World Cup Qualifier in Oman next month.
That competition, which also involves the UAE, has three places on offer for the main event in Sri Lanka and India in February 2026.
Having said that, Law did express quiet optimism that Nepal could challenge the West Indies, who he also coached between 2018 and 2019.
That confidence proved well placed as Nepal were good value for their 19-run win in the opening game, as they successfully defended 148.
Repeat the feat on Monday, and they will claim a famous series win, but Law is wary that the Caribbean side will come out fighting.
“We go again on Monday,” Law said. “We can enjoy this one for sure, then relax [on Sunday], and come and finish the job on Monday night. That’d be awesome, and that’s the message I’ll give our boys.
“West Indies will be hurt. They are a proud nation. I’ve coached them before, I know how they think. They will be hurting.
“They will come out red hot on Monday night so we have got to be better than what we were [in the opening game].”
The win in the opener was all the more remarkable for the fact that Nepal were without their best known player, Sandeep Lamichhane.
The star leg-spinner, who has played in multiple franchise leagues around the world, including the IPL and Caribbean Premier League, is in Nepal’s tour party in the UAE.
However, he was not in the match-day squad for the first game after he opted out of playing for unspecified personal reasons, according to Law.
“Sandeep is going through some personal stuff that he is dealing with and he opted not to play,” Law said.
“I don’t know much more. Sandeep is a massive part of Nepali cricket, so he is a big loss. But the boys put that behind them.
“They went out and said, ‘You know what? Someone else will stand up.’ Look at the likes of Kushal Bhurtel. He turned up and bowled beautifully for his four overs.
“Karan KC was rushed into the side late, and he played his part with the ball. It is good that the guys now know they don’t have to rely on one person.
“If we play as a team, we are very, very competitive, no matter who we play. [Lamichhane’s absence] is a shame, but it is what is.”
Bhurtel was the chief reason Lamichhane’s absence was not felt. He took two for 17 in four overs of leg spin.
Bowling is really the third string to Bhurtel’s bow: he terms himself a batter first, while his fielding is also outstanding, as shown when he ran out Kyle Mayers early in the West Indies chase. So he was thrilled to contribute the way he did.
“Whatever the team wants from me – to open the batting, or be a part-time [bowler] – I am happy to do anything,” Bhurtel said.
“To contribute with the ball against a Test playing nation and beat them, it is a dream come true. They are giants of T20 cricket, so we are very happy.”
Rohit Paudel, Nepal’s captain, won the match award. He top scored with the bat, bowled three thrifty overs with his own brand of part-time spin, and also cannily navigated his side through the defence of their total.
Paudel said the win was for the victims of the recent civil unrest in Nepal.
“I want to dedicate this man of the match award to the martyrs who lost their lives in the Gen-Z protest in Nepal,” Paudel said.
“The last month has not been great for us, so if we can give a little bit of happiness to the people of Nepal, I think that would be great.”
