Kathmandu, Nov. 20 -- It was June 2023-the month when the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers was taking place in Zimbabwe. The commentary panel, which included the likes of Ian Bishop, Carlos Brathwaite and Andy Flower, were having a pre-tournament dinner. Many of them that evening were discussing the participating teams. When the focus shifted to Nepal, experts at that dinner table turned to an Irishman to inquire about the young Nepali team.

Born in South Dublin, Andrew Leonard, in all his enthusiasm, went on about the Nepali team, from Dipendra Singh Airee's fielding, the poise of Kushal Bhurtel, to the slog-hitting of Karan KC. He went with the flow, and "maybe a ten percent" too far, he admits, to which he got mocked many a time.

A f...