Sports

Dasarath Rangasala Stadium

Halchowk Studium

Association football is the most popular sport in Nepal[171] and was first played during the Rana dynasty in 1921.[172] The one and only international stadium in the country is the Dasarath Rangasala Stadium where the national team plays its home matches.[citation needed]

Since the establishment of the national team, Nepal has played its home matches on the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground.[citation needed] Cricket has been gaining popularity since the last decade. Cricket in Nepal is making quick progress as the Nepal cricket team has won the 2012 ICC World Cricket League Division Four and the 2013 ICC World Cricket League Division Three[173] simultaneously hence qualifying for 2014 Cricket World Cup Qualifier. They have also qualified for the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 which is currently taking place in Bangladesh.[174] On 28 June 2014, the ICC awarded T20I status to Nepal, who took part and performed exceptionally well in the 2014 ICC World Twenty20.[175] [176]  Nepal had already played three T20Imatches before gaining the status, as ICC had earlier announced that all matches at the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 would haveT20I status.[177] Nepal won the 2014 ICC World Cricket League Division Three held in Malaysia and qualified for the 2015 ICC World Cricket League Division Two.[178]

Nepal finished fourth in the 2015 ICC World Cricket League Division Two in Namibia[179] and qualified for the 2015–17 ICC World Cricket League Championship.[180] But Nepal failed to secure promotion to Division One and qualification to 2015–17 ICC Intercontinental Cup after finishing third in the round-robin stage.[181] [182]  Basanta Regmi became the first bowler to take 100 wickets in the World Cricket League. He achieved this feat after taking 2 wickets against Netherlands in the tournament.[183]

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