The noise at the Wankhede Stadium rose and fell in restless waves as Nepal fought through their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign and tucked away in the stands on one of those charged evenings was a figure who understood the weight of every run and every setback. Indu Barma, captain of the Nepal women’s national team, had come to watch Nepal take on the West Indies cricket team. She was not there as a guest of honour or in any official capacity. She was there as a supporter, clapping, urging, and living each ball alongside thousands of Nepali fans. The result did not go Nepal’s way that night, but Barma’s presence in the stands spoke volumes about what cricket means to the country and to those who represent it.
For a cricketing nation like Nepal, where the sport binds communities across hills and cities, victories and defeats are felt collectively. While Barma witnessed the heartbreak against West Indies in person, Nepal would go on to script a stirring win over the Scotland national cricket team later in the tournament, registering their first T20 World Cup victory in over a decade. That triumph over Scotland was a reward for the resilience they had displayed throughout the campaign.
International schedules are relentless and preparation never truly stops, yet Barma chose to be present at Wankhede, to experience the atmosphere first-hand rather than from a distance. That decision underlined the unity within Nepal cricket. Earlier in the tournament, a video had surfaced of the Nepal women’s team gathered together, cheering passionately during one of the men’s matches. The clip shared, showed players celebrating wickets and boundaries as though they themselves were in the middle. The joy was spontaneous and heartfelt. It was a reminder that for Nepal’s cricketers, success is shared. When one team rises, the other stands taller too.
Nepal’s campaign had been marked by courage. Drawn against more established sides, they refused to be intimidated. There were moments when they pushed stronger opponents hard, earning applause even in defeat. The loss to West Indies, the match Barma attended, was one such occasion where effort could not quite bridge the gap, but belief never wavered. The eventual win over Scotland, calm and assured in its execution, symbolized growth. It reflected a side learning to manage pressure and seize opportunity on the world stage.
For Barma, the significance of these moments extends beyond fandom. As captain of the women’s team, she understands how transformative such experiences can be for a cricketing ecosystem. Nepal women have been steadily carving their own path, competing with intensity in regional tournaments and global qualifiers, nurturing a squad that dreams of similar World Cup stages. Watching the men compete and eventually triumph reinforces what is possible with persistence and unity.
There was something quietly powerful about the image of Indu Barma in the stands at Wankhede, applauding her country despite the result that night. In many ways, it also mirrored the journey of Nepal cricket itself — passionate, united, and carried forward by belief as much as by talent. As the stadium lights dimmed and the celebrations slowly settled, the victory over Scotland became part of Nepal’s cricketing memory. And among the enduring images of that tournament will be Indu Barma, smiling in the stands, a captain supporting her country, embodying the spirit of a nation that rises together.
