Jimmy Neesham on Nepal: 'A very passionate country'

New Zealand all-rounder James (Jimmy) Neesham says Nepal has become a permanent fixture in his cricketing calendar, describing the country as "very passionate" and hinting strongly that fans can expect to see him back “at this time of year for the next few years.”

In a conversation with commentator Andrew Leonard, Neesham reflected on how deeply Nepal and its fans have affected him – both as a cricketer and as a person.

"It reminds me of Sri Lanka and India"

Neesham drew a powerful comparison between Nepal and some of the game’s most established cricketing nations.

"It’s just a very passionate country," Neesham said. “It reminds me a bit of Sri Lanka and India and those places that have established cricket Test nations - and where they potentially would have been 20 or 30 years ago in their development."

For a player who has travelled the globe in various leagues, to place Nepal on that kind of trajectory speaks volumes about how he views the growth of the game here. In his eyes, Nepal is not just a developing cricket nation – it is on a path that could mirror some of the sport’s greatest success stories.

Janakpur triumph and a flood of love

Neesham's connection with Nepal intensified after he helped his Janakpur Bolts lift the title last season. That campaign culminated in an emotional final and celebrations that, he says, he will never forget.

There’s always a huge amount of love here. Obviously winning the tournament last year with Janakpur and feeling the outpouring of love after that final – doing the lap of honour and all that kind of thing – it was incredible.

What followed was not just a championship medal, but a lasting relationship with supporters. According to Neesham, that final was just the beginning.

"In the 9 or 10 or 11 months since that tournament, every day pretty much I’ve had messages on social media asking me to come back and being incredibly supportive after other games."

For a foreign professional, that kind of sustained engagement – almost a year of daily messages – is rare. For Nepali fans, it is simply their way of claiming him as one of their own.

"Very, very happy to repay that love"

Neesham made it clear that the affection he receives from Nepali supporters is something he takes seriously – and wants to honour on the field.

It is as close to a long-term commitment as fans could hope for. In an era where players juggle leagues around the world, Neesham signalling Nepal as a regular stop is a major endorsement of the league's competitiveness, its organisation, and the atmosphere the fans create.

Here's the full video from Andrew Leonard Youtube.