The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has moved decisively to reshape the future of women's cricket in the country, appointing Harshal Jayant Pathak as head coach of the national women’s team.
The Indian tactician becomes the first foreign head coach of the side and will take charge immediately ahead of a pivotal year that includes the ICC Womens T20 World Cup 2026 Global Qualifier in Nepal.
CAN had advertised worldwide for a high-calibre coach, seeking an ECB/CA Level-3 or equivalent qualification and strong international experience. More than 70 candidates applied, but officials were convinced that Pathak’s blend of Associate cricket success and high-level Indian domestic exposure made him the right fit for a young team trying to break into the global elite.
From Pune pathways to global Associate specialist
Pathak's story is not that of a star player turning to coaching, but of a pure coach who built his reputation from the ground up. Based in Pune, he spent his early career at Cadence Cricket Academy, eventually becoming head coach while completing BCCI NCA Level-2 coaching credentials and working across age-group systems.
He later joined Maharashtra’s men’s side as assistant and batting coach during the 2013–14 Ranji Trophy cycle, a season in which the team reached the final after a gap of over two decades. That stint immersed him in India’s first-class environment, sharpening the technical and tactical detail that now underpins his work with Associate nations.
Pathak then pivoted towards women’s cricket, spending more than two years as personal batting coach to India star Harmanpreet Kaur, helping refine her power game and tempo in T20 cricket. That relationship further cemented his reputation as a batting-focused coach who can unlock improvement in limited-overs formats.
Architect of Thailand's rise
Internationally, Pathak is best known for his transformative spell with Thailand women’s cricket. Appointed in 2018, he inherited a talented but raw group and helped turn them into one of the most organised Associate outfits in the women’s game. Under his guidance, Thailand:
- Qualified for their first ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2020, emerging from the global qualifier as one of the stories of the tournament.
- Built a reputation for relentless discipline with the ball and sharp fielding, recording a 17-match T20I winning streak on the way to that World Cup.
- Reached the Asia Cup 2022 semi-final, beating Pakistan along the way and giving the next generation of Thai players a powerful template to follow.
More recently, Pathak has also been listed as head coach of Thailand’s men’s side and Director of Coaching at the Cricket Association of Thailand, overseeing structures from juniors to the senior national teams.
What CAN is buying: philosophy and process
Beyond the CV, Patha's value to Nepal lies in his coaching philosophy. In multiple interviews he has emphasised three core pillars for emerging cricket nations:
- Strong basics under pressure – especially batting technique in conditions where scoring is rarely easy.
- Fitness and fielding as non-negotiables, closing the gap to Full Members through intensity rather than firepower alone.
- Team-first culture, where players chase tournament wins and qualify for global events, trusting that personal milestones will follow.
For a Nepal side that has often matched opponents with the ball but struggled for batting depth and consistency, that emphasis is directly aligned with current needs.
The Nepal assignment: home qualifier, high expectations
Pathak's first major challenge will arrive quickly. Nepal will host the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Global Qualifier in early 2026, with only a limited number of tickets to the main event on offer.
The national team earned their place in that event via the Asia Qualifier in Bangkok, finishing runners-up and edging past UAE in a tense chase. That result confirmed that Nepal are close to the global stage; Pathak has now been hired to take them the final step.
In the short term, his remit will include:
- Establishing a clear game model for T20 cricket – roles, batting orders and bowling plans that can be repeated under pressure.
- Raising training standards and fitness benchmarks to match the demands of playing back-to-back high-intensity matches.
- Working with CAN to ensure age-group and domestic women’s structures feed directly into the national side’s style of play.
A historic move for Nepal women's cricket
While Nepal have previously used Indian consultants and specialist coaches with the women’s team, Pathak is the first full-time foreign head coach of the side.
The decision signals CAN's willingness to invest in women’s cricket at the same strategic level as the men’s programme and to tap into expertise that has already delivered results for another Asian Associate.
If Harshal Pathak can repeat even a portion of the Thailand story in Kathmandu – this time with a passionate home crowd behind him and a global qualifier on Nepali soil – Nepal Women could be on the brink of their most significant chapter yet.
