Nepal coach says heavy defeat to Italy after England scare exposed lack of “mental toughness” at T20 World Cup

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Nepal head coach Stuart Law has issued a blunt reminder to his players to shut out the “huge distractions” of social media and focus purely on cricket, after Nepal’s contrasting performances at the T20 World Cup left them bottom of Group C.

Law’s comments followed Nepal’s narrow four-run loss to England, which briefly opened up the group, and their subsequent heavy defeat to Italy just four days later. Speaking in Mumbai on the eve of Nepal’s must-win clash against West Indies, Law questioned how his side could slip so dramatically in such a short space of time.

“I think we’ve got to work out why the gulf from the England game to the Italy game happened,” Law said. “Social media is a massive part of Nepalese culture, but it can also be a huge distraction. If you’re focusing on what people are saying online instead of what your team-mates are saying and what the game requires, then you’re distracted from your actual job.”

While acknowledging that players rely on social platforms for sponsorships and endorsements, Law stressed that World Cups demand absolute clarity of purpose. “At World Cups, cricket is the main thing. If we keep winning games of cricket, your likes will go up anyway,” he said.

Law was particularly concerned by what he described as a lack of mental toughness. “To go from that high against England to such a low four days later is not showing mental toughness,” he said. “It’s not showing commitment to your team, your country, your family, or your team-mates. We need honest, positive conversations, but also better choices about when and how social media fits in.”

Nepal now face a daunting task: victories are required against table-toppers West Indies and Scotland to stay alive in the tournament. Currently ranked 18th in men’s T20Is by the International Cricket Council, Nepal have nevertheless built a reputation for unsettling higher-ranked Full Members since their T20 World Cup debut in 2014. That includes famous near-misses against South Africa and a breakthrough bilateral series win over West Indies last year.

Asked how Associate sides like Nepal can bridge the gap to Test nations, Law pointed to structure and investment. “First and foremost, we need a proper domestic structure,” he said. “Test nations have pathways from very young ages through to senior teams. Replicating that takes time and money, but we can start by implementing parts of that system.”

Law highlighted the benefits of Nepal’s exposure in overseas tournaments and the launch of the Nepal Premier League (NPL), an eight-team competition introduced in 2024. “The NPL is really helping us,” he said. “It will generate funds and produce better players. We’re a couple of years away from seeing the real benefits, and hopefully it will also allow us to introduce a multi-day format, which is where you really learn the game.”

Nepal are playing all four group matches in Mumbai, a rarity at this ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. While that removes the fatigue of travel, Law admitted he would have preferred conditions elsewhere. “No disrespect to India, but I wish we were in Sri Lanka with wickets turning more,” he said. “That would suit our spinners and our speed between the wickets.”

Still, Law acknowledged the privilege of playing repeatedly at Wankhede Stadium. “It’s one of the most iconic venues in world cricket,” he said. “But here, it’s 70 metres all around. If you don’t get it right, you’re in the top tier. The message is simple: when you’re doing cricket, do your cricket.”