In Nepal, cricket is more than just a popular game. Fans follow the national team’s performances closely, and matches in the local Premier League invariably draw packed stands. Leading overseas tournaments shown on television also generate enormous interest. It is no wonder the cricket section of the well-known betting site 1x Bet Nepal is in particularly high demand. But it was not always like this.
As recently as the middle of the last century, cricket was considered the preserve of a narrow aristocratic circle. The game first appears in written sources in 1877, which suggests that it may have arrived in the country much earlier. Its pioneers were upper-class Nepalis who had become acquainted with it while studying in Britain. The national cricket association, CAN, was founded in 1946, but it remained an association of the select few. Only after the overthrow of the Rana dynasty in 1951 did the game gradually become more accessible to ordinary people. Key events in the second half of the twentieth century:
- 1961—CAN came under the management of the National Sports Council;
- 1988—joined the International Cricket Council (ICC) as an Affiliate Member;
- 1996—gained ICC Associate Member status and played its first international match.
By the beginning of the twenty-first century, local cricket was already on a firm footing, but it was still far from enjoying its current popularity with fans and visitors to 1xBet’s Nepal site and other betting sites.
Nepali cricket in the twenty-first century
In the 2000s, the national team began to achieve its first notable successes, though only at youth level for the time being. The U-19 team recorded notable victories over established cricket nations, including South Africa and New Zealand during its successful Plate Championship campaign at the 2006 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. Before long, the senior team started giving fans reasons to celebrate too:
- 2010—won the ICC World Cricket League Division Five title;
- 2012—won the ICC World Cricket League Division Four title;
- 2013 and 2014—won the ICC World Cricket League Division Three title in both years;
- 2014—made its ICC World Twenty20 debut, finishing second in Group A in the first round with historic victories over Afghanistan and Hong Kong;
- 2014—gained T20I status;
- 2018—gained ODI (One Day International) status;
- 2023—won the ACC Premier Cup and made its Asia Cup debut;
- 2024—appeared in the final stage of the ICC T20 World Cup (last in its group);
- 2024—launch of the Nepal Premier League;
- 2026—competed in the group stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, finishing fifth in Group C.
* From 2016 to 2019, CAN’s ICC membership was temporarily suspended for political reasons. During this period, Nepal’s national teams continued to compete in ICC events under ICC oversight.
As of 1 October 2026, Nepal’s national team is ranked 17th in the ICC ODI rankings and 14th in the T20I rankings. The game’s popularity in the country continues to grow, as does attendance at NPL matches. Matches in the recently established Premier League are broadcast in many countries, indicating substantial international interest in the tournament.
