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4 min readMumbaiFeb 8, 2026 04:02 PM IST
(L-R) Tegendra Shahi, Jeevan Shahi and Jaka Shaha travelled for over 30 hours to reach Mumbai for Nepal's group-stage T20 World Cup games. (Express Photo by Shankar Narayan/AP)
For Jaka Shaha, Tegendra Shahi and Jeevan Shahi, the journey to Mumbai for the T20 World Cup began in their villages in Nepal, with a decision that sounded simple but demanded commitment. “We came by train,” Jaka, hailing from the western border near Assam, said. “It took 30 to 36 hours.” All three laughed. The exact number hardly mattered anymore.
They travelled together on the same train, crossing borders and states, carrying little more than bags, tickets and belief. “It’s been ten days since we came from our village,” Jaka said, explaining that they had a few acquaintances in the city, with whom they were staying, not just for one game. The plan is to stay right through Nepal’s Group C campaign at the Wankhede Stadium. “We came for all four matches,” Jaka added firmly. “Yes, all four,” Tegendra, hailing from Dailekh district in the Karnali Pradesh province of Nepal repeated, nodding in agreement.
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For them, this was not a once-in-a-lifetime splurge. It was something they had planned around their lives. Asked why cricket mattered to them so much, the answers came quickly and almost in unison. “We watch it for fun,” Jeevan said. “For fun,” Jaka echoed. The trio didn’t feel comfortable revealing what they do for a living back home, but it was evident that cricket is a big part of their lives.
Nepal cricket team supporters cheer during the T20 World Cup match between England and Nepal in Mumbai. (AP Photo)
Talk, then, turned naturally to players. “Dipendra Singh Airee,” Jaka and Tegendara said when asked about their favourite from Nepal. “Kushal Bhurtel,” Jeevan added instantly. When the conversation moved beyond borders, admiration flowed towards Indian stars. “Virat Kohli,” Jaka said. “Suryakumar Yadav,” Tegendra replied. “Ishan Kishan,” Jeevan, also from Dailekh district in the Karnali Pradesh province, said, without hesitation.
Then came the big question – belief. Did Nepal really have a chance of going deep at this World Cup? “Yes, there is a chance,” Jaka said confidently. But almost immediately, realism crept in. “In the game, you can’t say anything,” Tegendra added. “Anything can happen.”
Still, optimism refused to fade. Asked about Nepal’s prospects of making the Super 8 stage, their tone lifted. “Yes, they can go ahead,” Jeevan said. Why? “We have beaten West Indies twice,” Tegendra said, referring to the feat when Nepal defeated West Indies 2-1 in the T20I series in Sharjah in September last year as if to underline the point.
They stopped short of making guarantees, but the faith was unmistakable. “We can’t say 100 percent in cricket,” Jaka admitted. Then, after a brief pause, another smiled and said, “But there is a chance. A full chance.”
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Around them, the stadium buzzed with the noise of a World Cup crowd – bigger teams, bigger expectations, storied histories. Yet these three fans stood calmly, content in their own corner of belief. They had travelled more than a day by train, adjusted work schedules, and committed to watching every match Nepal would play. Win or lose, they were staying.
For Nepal, the World Cup is about results and progression. For these fans, it is simpler – being there, being seen, and believing that on any given day, “anything can happen.”
Based in Mumbai, Shankar Narayan has over five years of experience and his reporting has ranged from the Ranji Trophy to ICC World Cups, and he writes extensively on women’s cricket. ... Read More
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