Sagar Dhakal is out of Nepal’s squad, but not out of the fight

Sagar Dhakal, a prominent figure in Nepal's cricket scene, is determined to return to the national team despite a significant wrist injury that has sidelined him. The player, who has recently featured in the ACC Premier Cup, the Top End T20 Series in Australia, and is set for the Asian Games squad, finds himself absent from these key competitions.

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I’m not going anywhere. I’m working hard every day. The injury meant I missed a lot of cricket, but I believe in God’s plan, and I’m just focused on doing my part.

Dhakal's momentum stalled after a wrist injury sustained during last year's Nepal Premier League (NPL). While playing through the pain was an option, the risks were deemed too high, leading him to take time off for recovery. He has been consistently training at the TU International Cricket Stadium's indoor facility, focusing on his fitness and rehabilitation.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm working hard every day," Dhakal stated. "The injury meant I missed a lot of cricket, but I believe in God's plan, and I'm just focused on doing my part." He remains optimistic about forcing his way back into the national setup, though he realistically acknowledges his recent lack of performance.

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It hurts whenever I’m left out of the team, because I still believe I have a future with Nepal. As long as I feel I can play for my country, being left out will bother me.

"It hurts whenever I'm left out of the team, because I still believe I have a future with Nepal," Dhakal admitted. "As long as I feel I can play for my country, being left out will bother me." He added, "I haven’t done enough lately to expect a place in the team. I need to perform better and add more to my game."

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I haven’t done enough lately to expect a place in the team. I need to perform better and add more to my game.

Observing Nepal's recent struggles, particularly in one-day cricket, Dhakal identified a key issue: rapid adaptation to conditions. "We haven’t played as well as we’d have liked in one-day cricket. We’ve struggled to adjust to conditions quickly enough," he said. "Once we learn to adapt better and play according to the conditions, I think we can perform much better." Dhakal is confident that his return to form is imminent, asserting, "Not much longer. It's only a matter of time."

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We haven’t played as well as we’d have liked in one-day cricket. We’ve struggled to adjust to conditions quickly enough. Once we learn to adapt better and play according to the conditions, I think we can perform much better.